Syrens
by lossehelin
Summary: Starting their life together had never seemed so sweet, until a shadow of dark magic claims their beginning, stealing Kaoru from the arms of her husband. Now he must search to bring her back, and battle the forces that would keep them separate. kk
1. Between Time

This one I started writing after moving back home. The idea was an original of mine from when I was like fourteen or fifteen, but the story itself would never have manifested quite this way without the turmoil of my most recent upset.

Disclaimer: I do not own love. Not anymore.

x

"I love you,

I hate you,

I can't get around you.

I breath you,

I taste you,

I can't live without you."

_Always_ Saliva

x

Prologue: Between Time

Through the darkness the steady drip of water plopped into the pool below, running a path down the smooth rock walls that had stood for an eternity. They stretched for miles. Branching out to form deep caverns and dead end tunnels, twisting around themselves in such confusing patterns as to mix up the mind of any who lived there. Eventually they could connect to other hide-a-ways below the numerous bodies of water that dotted the earth, but that had been denied this certain home. For it was meant to be a prison to begin with.

Magic kept others from entering, and magic kept the one from leaving. It was an ancient magic, older than the beasts that called themselves man. It dated back to the days of mystical creatures and beyond, for even they could never truly guess where it originated from. It styled itself an entity all its own, having a mind of its own to decide what it wished to do, but that had been before. Now it slept, drowsily allowing others to manipulate its power until it finally settled under the deep lake of Ignatius, warping the environment there and any unlucky enough to gain entry.

Time stood still within the circle of its arms, the outside world passing by in a rapid haze or slowing to a crawl. It meant nothing whether a second or a year had passed by, for either would be just as likely to occur. Nothing truly existed there, for without time all was nothing, and this made it the perfect cage for the woman who dwelt there. No lock and key would ever be able to hold her, nor even the strongest magus' spell. She who could conquer an empire in a day and had almost succeeded. She who held the blood of true and made magic within her. Nothing but the extent of her imagination limited the power she possessed and she had the wings of a master to prove her ability. Only the few exceptional had ever come close to her wonderful span of fourteen feet, the knowledge and capability to tap into spectrums they had only ever heard of like second nature to her mind. And while those others had spent their whole lives just to break the surface, she had burst through in a whirl of color and light and energy within two years.

Yet, once again, that had been before. Before her mind had plummeted down the path of insanity, drowning in a wave of primitive emotions so unlike her human half. Falling prey to wicked words and a forked tongue, she wallowed in deceitful lies and allowed them to turn her away from the gentle, caring woman she once was into a heartless beast bent on rage and sorrow. Convinced of the betrayal of others she cast herself alone, bitterly mocking herself and the soft creature she had been, cursing the gullible way she had believed sweet words and honeyed tones. Lost now from her true self, she sat alone in her prison of time and rock and water.

A pale shot of light filtered through the fathomless depth of water above, the barrier that separated the air from the liquid a mystery in all purposes, serving only to illuminate the still figure below it. A ragged creature she was, dress torn and hanging limply around her thin limbs. At one point it had probably been beautiful, the inky blackness of its rich material caressing her skin like the wings of a butterfly and flowing ethereally like the water her kind sprouted from. In its present form, however, the full skirt fell heavily upon her perch, the forced split up one side showing the bent knee of her left leg as she sat cross-legged upon a flat rock jutting from the black water. The sleeves, torn and dirty, still fell to reach her feet if she stood, only they now looked to belong to the evil and uncaring; the jagged edges trailing off to soak in the thick, darkness below.

Body slumped in defeat, the woman hung her head in dejection, the thick clumps of her hair falling over her shoulders to frame her face in more darkness. Once holding a healthiness that helped it reach the length of her knees, the blue-black strands resembled something more like the legs of a spider, curving off the rock in a pattern not unlike that wicked arachnid. Shaggy bangs covered her eyes, shadowing her features so only the pale pink of her lips and the deathly pallor of her jaw were visible. Beneath the shadow, however, shown the madness of her soul, that window below her brows glazed and dull. They were no longer a happy and colorful contrast to her almost delicate features, but dangerous; ruthless with their lack of caring. Rusty as they were, their gaze stared down at nothing, her unfocused mind dismissing the realm that surrounded her body to delve instead into the inner most reaches of her memories. It overwhelmed her with images of betrayal and loss, forcing her to face that which she least wanted to. That truth about life. That life itself was a lie.

Furtive whispers echoed along the empty space, hissing between her teeth at the lack of pronunciation or spitting in anger at thoughts that made her eyes light momentarily. Each cadence of her verse of pain came out more disjointed than the last, following her cycle until she was crying brokenly into pale hands, the only show of color a golden sparkle on her left one. Each time it caught her attention her cries became more desperate, more heart-wrenching as the worst betrayal came to her mind. That thing that had kept her from the conquering of an empire. The one thing that she had once believed ran the universe; that stood boldly before all dangers uncaring, to watch the world bow before it.

And once she had called it her own. That thing known as love.

Love had stolen her heart from the first moment, quickening the pulse in her chest and shortening her breath. Enthralled with a gentle gaze and tender words; with a courageous man who unselfishly threw himself into the protection of others, she had quickly fallen. And at first she had believed he had caught her, sweeping her off her feet and carrying her for a time. Taking her to the very gates of heaven within the confines of a small cottage, with smooth caresses and passionate words guiding their way.

That, too, had been a lie. There was no such thing as love... not really. Oh there was passion and affection, attachment to one person that makes life seem dull and lifeless without them... but love was none of these things... not to her, not anymore. It was vile and deceitful, a pack of untruths pressed together to form a barrier around a person until they were blind to see anything but what they wanted to see. That their one and only was nothing more than a liar that made up their love to keep them staked to their side. A liar that would eventually abandon their so called love for another when they were done and had what they wanted. One who would betray the love given to them without a thought, would turn on them... all the while still insisting that everything would be alright, that they would never leave. The fact was enough to anger her again, forcing her back down trails of red and black, of imagined ways of returning the favor... to show him she was not someone to be messed with in such ways... not anymore. Oh how she would love to watch the dawning recognition on his face as she gave back what she had been given. Which, in a sense, was nothing... but nothing was just as maddening and insufferable as the worst torture. Nothing ate away at a person's mind, drove them to the brink of existence and back... there was just something wrong about nothing... and with all the time in the world at her disposal... she just might be able to figure out everything that that entailed.

A new set of whispers echoed through the darkness, accompanying hers and breaking apart to surround and imprison her further. They were the whispers of madness, they were what reverberated in her ears and fed her the words that she contemplated while they were away. They brought anger and rage and sorrow and self-loathing upon her in such great depths that she feared she would never feel anything else. Emotions like those sunk into a person and took over, permeating from their skin and stinking the air with their very presence. No other thoughts could be brought to the surface with their constant meddling, and as hard as she had tried at one point to cast them off... it had not worked and she knew she was doomed for all of eternity to wallow in their filth.

Now, they confided in her once again, sighing out descriptive word paintings of each and every wrong being done to her now and forever. How those outside were celebrating in her absence... how _he_ was glorifying his freedom in the wake of her imprisonment. Namely with that woman she had seen before. That _woman_ who had held onto him so familiarly. That _**woman**_ who hid behind him like he was meant to protect her and her alone. That _**woman**_ he had purposely kept her from!

_I see now, dear husband, how the world works. I see now the treacherous lies of men. The worthlessness of love and all of its followers. You were mine... mine and mine alone and yet you tie yourself to someone else... you protected her from a fate that she had earned... and by rights I should have been allowed to give! Because I am not dead! Not yet. And you are still mine. Mine to hold on to. Mine to love. Not her. And you have no right to think I will be appeased so easily. You should have let me spill her blood... you should have let me pull her limb from limb and feed her flesh to the circling crows. It was my right! Why did you deny it to me! I am not dead yet! You are not free of me! Why?_

The ghostly hum continued, urging on her irrational thoughts, agreeing with her mad declarations. They fed off of her anger, loving the pain and desperation that she seemed to carry in a never ending supply. Never before had there been one so full of life even in the face of death; so full of emotions and dramatic turns of thought. She was a perfect being... and they were gleefully working to destroy her. To create something else... something that would not only conquer the world... but desecrate it... destroy it... warp it into a proper playground for them to feed off of forever.

And it was so easy! The tiniest hint of her love was enough to set her mind down that path of misery once again... to make her remember in minute detail everything that had brought her to this point. From the moment she had awoken in marital bliss on the morning after, to the bloodiness of her last night on the land above. Many times they had heard it, and many times more they knew they would again... but that was not the point. It was the wealth of grief she would unconsciously project throughout the room that was what they were after... the darker feelings that would emerge when she thought of her life and the betrayal of those closest to her.

Hearing it again now was a given, they needed more strength to accomplish their goal... they needed her soul... eventually they would get it... but that was a long time in coming. But what was time in this place? With a silent snicker they encouraged her on again, carefully coaxing her down her memories until she was at the beginning... It was always better when she started at the beginning. When she lost herself in images of the middle they could not gain what they wanted from her... so they had to be crafty. Had to start her out right. This time it would be all too easy, with her mind distracted by the one she called husband. For as hard and as long as she cursed him, she loved him... loved him in a way that words did not describe. It made them sick to hear of her softness towards him, but all good things come with the bad. Or should they say all bad things come with good? The more she reminisced about the wonderful life they had shared... the worse her depression would be later. The bigger the feast...

"Tell us again... dear sister... what is love? Who showed it to you?"

One low hiss threatened from her lips, baring her teeth and the long incisors that she carried. It was a warning... that she did not care to remember. Those teeth were enough to show them that.

"Please, sister, we do not know love and probably never will... what will it do to you?"

"It is vile and disgusting, and will leave nothing but heartache."

"We heard it was beautiful." They contradicted.. "Like the wings of an angel... or the colors of a sunset... or... even the voice of a syren."

"Do not mock me!"

"Of course not, dear one... but is it not the truth? Your own voice, we heard, is the envy of the highest celestial being."

White hands came up to hide the shape of her face, muffling her words and the hitch behind them. "Yes... it is true. Though my voice is no longer beautiful and neither is love to me."

"That is temporary, we are sure you will regain your strength in due time. But please, we are aching to hear of love... please tell us of love."

Limply her arms fell back into her lap, freeing her features from the darkness as she lifted her head to stare up into the pale light above. Two twin orbs of red made up her eyes, covering the whites and the pupils so that they were solid _and _liquid in appearance. With the pain in her heart and mind plaguing her, more now with the knowledge of the peaceful and full time she had lived before, her sorrow spilled out from those crimson eyes to trail down her cheeks in bloody rivers. Then she took a shaky breath before beginning her tale of tragedy.

The others looked on and listened, already leeching off of the despair pouring down her face. It was a powerful source of their energy, because it was not seen often. Not in her pure-blooded brethren. They were cold and solitary, never allowing others to interfere with their lives. But she... she was only half and the human side was what made her the more vulnerable, what helped this mystical occurrence to happen every time they came.

For it was said that a syren only cried when their heart was broken, their life's blood spilling from their eyes like the opening of a wound.

x

A/N: I have found that current feelings affect my stories in a big way. Without an outlet for my... grief, I would not be able to finish my other stories the way they need to. Namely A Mother's Love... as well as My Only Joy... which was affected hugely by my emotional chaos. I would like to apologize for its last chapter... I deleted it because there was so many things wrong with it that would throw the plot line down paths I did not originally wish it to go down that I had to do something with it before too many people read it. Hopefully by the time I finish retyping it any who have read the original will have forgotten most of what it said...

Anyway, back to this story... for any scared that this will be a heartbreaker... don't be... though I say that my feelings at the time do affect my writing, that doesn't mean that I will start killing off characters and turning them into people they aren't... the character in this chapter is a little different, but that is because a lot has happened to her between the real first chapter and this one. All will be explained, but you will have to be patient and trust me... I don't believe in sad endings... but that doesn't mean they won't go through hell just to get their happy one. As always, thanks for reading and please drop a review for me... I like to see how my stories impact my readers...

Songs: _Believe _by Disturbed

_Always_ by Saliva


	2. The End of A Beginning

Alright... so I want to thank all of you who have read and reviewed this sorry little story for me. I am really grateful for the support that you have shown... arigato *bows low in thanks* Before you read this chapter there are a few things that I wanted to warn you about first that way you do not wonder and have a slightly skewed opinion from the start... Ok... this is the real first chapter, so it will be a little slow, and a little lovey-dovey. Also, the setting and time... I do not have a specific place in mind because I pretty much make up a lot of the settings, but I will just say Europe in general and maybe you'll get the picture better, also I've kinda thought around Medieval kinda time, stuff like that. Ok, so this story has a little different feel than any of my other ones... that I've posted anyway... and I will have it out right now, if you haven't guessed already, this is fantasy... so any mention of different races and creatures will not be taken lightly by our characters. Also... and this is a big one... there will be no real vow against killing that Kenshin took or will take... and maybe this sounds a little callous on my part, but the only time I am going to make him feel bad or hesitate in killing anybody is if they are human... or part, or look, or whatever... ok? Kinda the same with Kaoru too. Now that doesn't mean that they think it is right, or that they are going to go out and kill everything in sight or something stupid like that... they just do in tight situations... mainly because the original story line for this story did not have a main character that was against it. So there you have it. If that is a problem for anybody, then I'm sorry... go read My Only Joy, it's for you. Alrighty, I think that is it... and I will let you get on with the story. Shoo shoo...

Disclaimer: I don't own you... I know this now... and I'm sorry.

x

"Please believe me

That my eyes deceive me.

Don't stand me up, just leave me.

I have fallen again, this is the end.

Pain redefined."

_Pain Redefined_ Disturbed

x

Chapter 1: The End of A Beginning

Kaoru woke to the soft glow of morning sunshine filtering through the bedroom window, the line of light barely reaching her eyelashes. Automatically smiling at the wonderful feel of warmth and comfort, her body sinking into the mattress and blankets like they were made to conform to her, she moved to stretch, languidly brushing the back of her free hand over heavy lidded eyes. Every muscle in her body contracted, pushing back her shoulders and arching her spine before relaxing once again into the feather soft bed.

Lethargic, she sighed, letting her eyes come half open to stare at the top of the glass across the room. The air was littered with dust particles, merrily dancing around one another through the shots of brighter light from the rising sun, glittering at her in a cheerful welcome of the new day. For what a new day it was. The first of the rest of her life. Biting her lip at the thought, Kaoru let lazy eyes drop to the tangle of red strands that rested on her left shoulder. They were everywhere, it seemed, but then he almost had as long of hair as she did, and it was so soft, a sin in its own right. How she loved to touch it, play with it, wonder at the brightness of its color. He knew this of course, and loved to exploit it every chance he got... which she found decidedly unfair, but then... she couldn't really complain since she got what she wanted anyway.

Giggling softly, Kaoru reached up her free hand to smooth out their unruliness, trying to ignore the reason why they were in such a state of disarray in the first place, and the butterflies it caused in her stomach. Finding his forehead, her smile gentled, suddenly touched by the relaxed set of his exotic face; the tender way his nose was tilted into her collar, how his lidded eyes whispered of a peaceful slumber, and the partially opened lips that breathed warmth against her skin. The blanket only covered him from the ribs down, the naked expanse of his upper body a tan contrast to the pure whiteness of their ceremonial sheets. Wiry muscles could be seen in the stretch of his left arm as it reached across to rest on the cage of her own ribs, the strength not normally visible when he went about regular daily business plain to her at that moment. They corded throughout his entire body, and though she had suspected this before, having partially seen him that first day they had met, she hadn't realized just how muscular he really was. He wasn't a large man, by any means, only topping her in height by an inch or two at the most, and he wasn't bulky either... which she liked, too much weight would have made her feel inferior and very... well, feminine. Not that he didn't do that just as he was, but it was in a good way. He was just right, she concluded... but then again... everything about him was just right to her.

Feeling very intimate and cuddly at the moment, Kaoru leaned her head into his and curled the fingers of her left hand, ignoring the buzz that it created since his weight had put that arm to sleep hours before, focusing instead on the feel of his own laced with them. Even in sleep he couldn't stop touching her, finding ways to bind her to him, to make sure that he knew she was there and would be until he woke up... or she woke him up. It was a different feeling than she was used to, though he had definitely taken most of the night to help her become accustomed to it. This was the first time she had ever woken up with somebody else in her bed that wasn't her aunt... and that had been years before when she was still young enough to fit with her on that tiny mattress. Now, she was going to have to share with this man every night for the rest of their lives, have to wake up every morning to find him wrapped around her, see his red hair and violet eyes first before anyone else. The fact made her giddy, setting her mouth in a smug grin that threatened to jump straight off her face and prance around the floorboards.

Idly she let her free hand trace the threads of his hair as she thought, the silly expression of contentment showing her pleasure even as she unconsciously began rubbing over his arm. The skin was smooth to her touch, and from experience she knew that the skin of his stomach was even smoother, the little trail of baby fine red hairs a playful tickle against her fingers, and other parts of her body. Soon her wandering hand made its way down to the end of his limb, carefully feeling out every tendon and bone in his strong yet tender hand before coming into sudden contact with the golden ring around his third finger. Catching hold of her distracted mind, her bright blue irises dropped to the sparkle of gold, her teeth once again pulling on her bottom lip as those eyes glowed with happiness.

_Together. Forever. Always and Beyond. _

The twin ring on her own left hand was caught between their joined fingers, pressing slightly into her flesh and reminding her that it was there, that she now belonged to this man she had married the day before. In front of friends and neighbors they had celebrated their union, the formal ceremony closely followed by a festive party that everybody in the village had turned out for. From the little girls that all had a crush on her red-head, to the old men who sat around and told impossible stories to anyone who would listen. Everyone had laughed and danced, congratulating the groom on his luck and giggling in whispered words with the bride. Later they had stolen away to share in their own, more private celebration, finally consummating and finalizing their vows in a much more intimate way than she had thought possible. Nerves and bridal jitters had threatened to take her over, shaking her hands and jaw violently when he reached to untie the ribbons her aunt had so lovingly bowed only hours before. Both had fallen away in the face of his patience, the soothing coos he made in her ear a calm counterpoint to her chaotic mind as it tried to cope with the new feelings he was raising in her body. Gently he had coaxed that panic away, carefully guiding her with quiet words of praise and longing, finally taking them both into a secluded haven that they could only ever return to together.

Feeling the heat rise under her skin, Kaoru wriggled slightly under his arm, suddenly too hot to be in such close proximity to another body. The things he had done to her were nothing she would ever have imagined, and now in the quiet of morning she found herself slightly embarrassed to have enjoyed them with such reckless abandon. Feeling the blush spread from her cheeks down to warm her chest, Kaoru shifted to the side, hoping to slip out of the bed before he woke up. Shyness returning full force, all she wanted to do was put some clothes on, to be on some kind of familiar ground with him and not this uncharted territory of an intimacy she had never experienced before. Focused so thoroughly on being quiet and careful, she missed the violet gaze watching the play of emotions on her face with fascination.

Kenshin slowly opened his eyes at the feel of her fingers playing with his ring, unconsciously smiling at the touch of her skin and the feel of her head resting on the top of his own. Closing his eyes again to enjoy just the contact they shared, he marveled at how she had woken up before him; how he could be so relaxed and comfortable with her that he could sleep at all. It was another testament to how much he loved her, needed her... without her he would go crazy. How had he even survived before meeting her? How had he slept at night without the smooth caress of her skin, or the peaceful cadence of her breathing, or the steady beat of her heart? How had he made it through a day before without seeing her smile when he brought her flowers, or walked her home, or softly kissed her before saying goodnight? Nothing seemed possible without her presence. _I would be nothing without you,_ he whispered to her in a silent confession from his mind to hers. The thought was soon lost in his amusement, however, as he felt her pull slightly away.

The timid look on her face was enough to alert him as to what was bothering her, and though it hurt him a little to know that she would first draw away from him then face him, he figured he could understand. She was still only a child, eighteen to his twenty-eight, and this was their first day of marriage. Some part of her had to be worried that she wouldn't know what to do, or that she would do it wrong. Already she had expressed this fear to him, confessing after a few months of knowing each other that she probably wouldn't make a good wife because she didn't know how to cook and her cleaning skills, while decent, were not her strong point. She just didn't have the incentive to learn, because she was more of an outside person. Being inside meant enclosure and enclosure felt like a prison to her. So while she would do what needed to be done, she usually ended up rushing through them so fast that everything went wrong. At the time he had reassured her because they had been talking as friends, her fear being that nobody would ever want to marry her because of these reasons.

What she hadn't known was that he had every intention of making her his own, then and now, and forever, and that he had not minded her flaws at all. Not that he considered them to be flaws. He found it fascinating, wondering at the chance of meeting a woman who would rather be outside learning how to defend herself then inside learning how to cook like all little girls usually would. Planning for their futures husbands, as he had heard many older ladies put it. So while she found herself lacking, he found her overflowing... full of life and energy and light. A perfect woman in every way... for him admittedly, maybe not for others. Because what others didn't know, was that he didn't mind cooking or cleaning for that matter. So she could be whatever she wanted to be with him... but still, that didn't mean he would let her be a coward.

Smirking, his eyes lighting with challenge, he curved the fingers of his left hand, stopping her escape with the easy contraction of those muscles she had been admiring earlier. There was a gasp of surprise from his pretty wife, but he didn't give her much time to contemplate the situation as he yanked her back against him, untangling and lifting himself above her so that she was trapped between his arms and legs, the curtain of his hair creating a reddish glow on one side. The look on her face was priceless and he almost burst out laughing then, but instead took advantage of her frozen form to bury his nose into her neck, playfully biting at the exposed skin.

"And where do you think you are going, wife?"

"Uh..." Nervously she bit at her lip, trying to move away from his wandering ones and the now familiar feelings they were uncovering. "To the bathroom?"

"Uh-huh." Disbelief could be heard in the soft accent of his voice as he stopped her motions again, bracing his weight on one arm to cup the now free hand around the opposite side of her face. Trailing his mouth up to her ear he bit there lightly before speaking, the playfulness still present in his voice, heavy now with his amusement as well. "And were you planning on coming back?"

"Well, uh... I mean..." A soft moan cut off the rest of her sentence, his hand now caressing down her body in a seductive counterpoint to his sharp teeth. _Damn that man and his hands!_

"Yes?" His own words were turning somewhat breathless.

"I just... thought..." A soft gasp. "food would be nice. Don't you think?" Quickly she finished the sentence, hoping to distract him. What for, she didn't know. It wasn't as if she didn't enjoy it, but, well, didn't women who wanted... _this _all the time... weren't they called something...? She didn't want to be seen like that by him. _I am his wife, though,_ she pointed out to herself, thickly forming the words in her mind while trying to not be caught up in what he was doing to her. _Shouldn't I do this when he wants to?_

"Oh yes... I am quite hungry." Shifting again, he slipped a knee between her legs, lifting her hips with a firm hand to bring her closer, to let her know without a shadow of a doubt what he was hungry for.

"Ken-shin..." Then his mouth was on hers and she gave up any protest that she could muster, circling slender arms around his neck instead.

x

This time it was dark hair that ran in disorder around them, her head laying comfortably on his shoulder as he wrapped her in his embrace. Their breathing had finally slowed, the staccato of their heartbeats now at a normal pace, and the sun was higher, no longer shining through the window onto their bed. Lazily Kenshin rubbed up and down one arm, tickling her in a wonderful way that made her feel loved and wanted, the soft scrape of his calluses reminding her of the type of man her husband was. The other hand covered her own over his chest, curving around slim fingers that brushed over the tanned skin, her mind wondering at the scars and the pain he must have endured to gain them.

Kenshin tilted his head to the side, resting it lightly on hers in an imitation of her own position when they had woken up, to watch her as she curiously traced every old wound. What did she think about when she saw his scars? What passed through her mind while she traced each white line of his old marks and blemishes? There must be some sort of sympathy in there, he knew, she couldn't be an apprentice to the town's physician without a certain compassion for every wounded person who came in the doors. Even he had witnessed that gentle concern, stumbling into the village in search of help in any shape or form after walking miles through the woods, bleeding profusely out of the gapping wound in his side.

Smiling at the memory, his arm tightened around her unconsciously, thinking back to that first moment he had seen her. After passing out just within reach of the first house, Kenshin had awoken later to find himself safely tucked away inside the small infirmary, a cool cloth wiping tenderly over his burning skin and a sweet voice humming through the air above him. For long moments he had let himself bathe simply in the sound, the song a lullaby in tune, yet slightly sad, weaving back and forth between notes until they broke upon one another into a delicate climax that lifted his heart in such a way he felt he could cry. Then when he had opened his eyes, as her cords began to repeat, he had found himself drowning instead of simply floating, for the woman who held him in such thrall with just her voice alone was beautiful in appearance as well.

Innocent eyes, still glowing with the spark of childhood even after seeing the gore and death of a physician's office, had looked down at him in wonder, their deep indigo depths breaking over him like the waves of an arctic ocean; sharp and clean. Blue streaked through the long lengths of hair as well, their threads tied back under a strip of cloth, bundled around the back of her neck so they would not infect or bother any wound she was treating at any time during the day. All he could do was stare at the creature above him, for surely she could not be human, nothing so ethereal could be bound by the mortality of that race, and yet there she sat, carefully making sure he was comfortable, treating his wound with the most infinite of care.

It wasn't until later had he learned she was only the apprentice, her aunt being the real doctor that had immediately treated his side. That had not seemed to matter to him, though, his mind already locking onto her and the peace he had found in her presence. She had faltered at first, finding his appreciation confusing, but when she had ceased to sing and pulled away with a tint of red staining her cheeks he had stopped her, catching her hand with his own and begging her to continue. So with a smile that had stolen his heart, she had rung out the cloth and began over again, lulling him back into a sleep that was undisturbed for the first time in years. That first moment that they had shared together, as strangers, with no knowledge of the other, he had understood something far larger than himself. That thing he now knew as love.

Love was something he had long since given up on, a fanciful emotion that he could not comprehend. Seeing it in the lives of others was a passing envy, his acceptance over the fact that he would never have it already ingrained in his heart and soul. What would he do with love anyway? A killer... a deadly weapon that was used only for the most opposite of dealings than love. Nobody could love him, nobody could see past the blood and scars and victims that followed him like the shadows of ghosts. He was not meant for love, not made for something delicate and fragile... but then, for all those years, his definition of love had been clearly wrong. For love was powerful and unyielding... a solid state of awareness that defied anything that stood against it. So in the end it was himself that could not see passed his own faults, and with the help of a beautiful heart and soul he had learned that love was for him as well. All he had to do was let it in.

Focusing back on the feather-light ghosting of her fingertips on his chest, Kenshin smiled at the conflicting look of compassion and curiosity on his beloved's face. She was such an eager little one, always first to ask questions and learn as much as she could as fast as she could... as long as it was something she was interested in. Being interested in him was another occurrence that had blown his mind at first, her shy gaze always seeking him out when near him, always finding him first; a frown on her face until she saw him, the smile she held in only for him bursting free like she could not hold it in if she tried. It had made him wonder, what about him she found so appealing... though he did not mind in the least as he found himself trying to capture her attention all the time anyway. So it was a bonus to have her seek him out every chance she got. Still, she was so beautiful and carefree, she could have anyone she wanted, with just a word they would be at her beck and call, but she had ignored them... This fact was a distant concept to her mind, her eyes only focused on what she found appealing and never even rolling over the idea that she could have any type of power over anyone else.

"You have a question in your eyes, my love."

Kaoru started, tilting her head slightly to look up at him from his shoulder. The smile on his face was encouraging, the thumb of his left hand rubbing over the knuckles of her fingers. Licking her lips she reminded herself that she had nothing to be nervous about, this was her husband now, and he had told her that she could talk to him about anything. Ask anything and he would tell her.

"Do they hurt?"

Sadness crept into soft amethyst eyes as he looked away from her, making her heart clench painfully and her lip suddenly tremble. It ached to know that he was still troubled over such things.

"Yes... they still hurt." The unfocused set of his pupils alerted her to his wandering thoughts, how they took him back to times she had only ever heard about. Back to the darker times of the sorcerer and his minions and the evils they had inflicted on the people that surrounded them. Dropping her own eyes away from his face, she withdrew her fingers from the grip of his, pulling them off the skin of his chest and the scars that pained him so. Immediately his own hand flattened over hers, pressing her back against him and over many of the white lines she had been exploring. "But not when you touch them."

A happy touch of red lined her cheeks as she smiled up at him, glad that he was not going to bury himself inside of the past because of something she was stupid enough to bring up. Promising herself that she would be the best wife, for him, she lifted herself up to plant a gentle kiss on his lips, pulling away with a giggle when he automatically reached to hold her there.

"Now, now, do you really want to spend the rest of the day in bed?"

The grin he sent her way was enough of an answer, the devilish gleam in his eyes a promise that he would not mind one bit. Laughing, she sat up, ignoring how the sheet dropped to puddle in her lap, exposing the naked shape of her upper body, and prompting the lingering glide of the hungry eyes of her husband. Instead she used the distraction to her advantage, grabbing her pillow and clobbering him with it, following through with the weight of her body to try and overpower him. The deep chuckle that issued from somewhere on the other side of the feathers and material made her smile widen, loving the joy he was showing and the part she could play in its making. Soon he was free, reaching for his own pillow to fend her off, finally ducking down to tackle and pin her once again beneath him, their lengths now stretched out sideways and backwards on the soft bed.

"So this is how it is on the morning after?" There was a mock hurt in his voice, the glow in his eyes discrediting all of the pitiful words pouring form his lips. "The man gets attacked by his own wife? What vicious creatures you are."

Playfully Kaoru lifted her head to snap at him with her teeth, sending herself into a fit of giggles with a little help from the wide eyed expression above her. Kenshin, shocked for only a moment, lifted both of her hands above her head to trap in one of his own and reached down to tickle her. Instantly she burst out laughing, trying to curl herself up and away from his clever fingers and breathe at the same time.

"Stop... stop!" Sucking in heavy breaths between giggles she begged for a respite, mad that he knew all of her most vulnerable spots. Grinning he lowered his face to hers, smacking a kiss on her lips and shaking his head.

"Not until you are properly punished, my evil little syren."

Jumping and twitching, trapped between his bent knees, the line of his torso and the hand above her head, Kaoru bucked against him trying desperately to knock him off somehow... without hurting him. It didn't help having the bare skin of his thighs and stomach brushing against her at every opportunity, or the smell of sharp ginger clinging to her nostrils. Soon he tired of the game, his fingers merely a soft caress over her stomach, his smile dropping into a tender look of affection as he took in the disheveled body beneath him. The happy glow mixed with the breathless state of her seconds before, her hair in a sleepy tangle around her face, her chest rising and falling in a slowing rhythm; she was...

"Beautiful."

Dropping her eyes away from his, this time in embarrassment, Kaoru bit her lip and tried hard not to smile at the compliment. "I am not."

Frowning, his hand came up to her chin, tilting her head so that she was forced to look at him. "Yes you are. Everything about you is beautiful. Your soft skin." His hand ran down her cheek. "Your innocent eyes." Across her temple. "Your silky hair." Delving into those thick tresses. "Your clever mind." Down over her forehead. "Your loving heart." His lips joined in, a brief meeting on the top of one breast. "Your goddess-like body." Tickling her stomach. "Your syren's voice." Lastly a kiss to parted lips, lingering over sweet tastes of pure water and lilies.

"You need to stop calling me that. What if a real syren hears you and is offended? Would you really like to spend the rest of your days married to a fish or a bird? What if she decides to take you away from me as punishment? I couldn't bear that."

Shifting his weight to lay beside her, he braced his head on the arm below him and ran his free hand down her neck, distractedly watching the rippling of her skin under his touch. "Love, if a real syren ever did hear, they would just have to face the truth and bow before you in respect... because they would also discover that you have the better voice. Besides... they would never be able to steal me away from you... nor vice versa. No woman's voice but yours will ever tempt me."

Leaning her head into his cheek, Kaoru hugged him to her, giddily happy that she had such a wonderful husband. _He knows just what to say to me._ A rumble of amused air vibrated his chest, trembling through her at their contact, and suddenly he was hugging her back. "Are we smug now?"

"Yep."

"Good... so how does a bath sound?"

"Hmm... wonderful."

"Then a picnic?"

Her smile grew further at the prospect of being outside, and he knew that it was a good idea. His little wife hated being inside too much... and he knew just where they could go and still have privacy.

Pushing himself up, he swooped her into his arms, loving the giggles she gave him in return, then headed for the door, uncaring of the naked state of them both.

"Kenshin! We're hardly decent!"

"Yes... and we're hardly expecting company either."

Clutching her struggling form against him a little tighter, he moved toward the back of the house, an excitement filling him at the prospect of showing her his next surprise. This house was hers, he had specifically designed it for her comfort and when he had asked others to help him build it with the money he had saved up over the two years he had been in this village, they had stumbled over the idea for the bathhouse. Come to find out... so did she.

"Ken-shin?"

The large, wooden tub had been cleaned and filled with water the day before in preparation for this surprise, it wasn't heated yet, but it wasn't a difficult job, since he already had the wood piled and ready to be lit. The idea was something he had picked up on while traveling, and knowing how his Kaoru loved taking long, warm baths, this would make it easier for her to enjoy that kind of pampering.

"What is it?" The awe in her voice almost made him laugh, knowing she had probably never seen anything like it in her life, having bathed in the same metal tub that her aunt would do the laundry in since birth.

"It's a bathhouse... I've seen many of them in traveling, but this kind I found in the Orients... when I stayed for a couple of years."

"Why did you go all the way over to east Asia?" Her curiosity peeked at the prospect of traveling so far, her eyes bright with wonder.

"Because my father was Japanese... I thought it would help me find out where I come from. Now," Carefully he sat her down on a small stool, the cool wood covered with a towel for her. "I want you to sit here and relax, while I heat up the water for us."

Kaoru sat and watched as her husband moved in and out of the room, at one point handing her a brush to keep her busy while she waited. Pulling the long strands over one shoulder she worked out the knots, silently cursing the fact that she hadn't had the chance to braid her hair the night before. Sooner than she expected, Kenshin was kneeling behind her, slipping the brush from her hands and taking over himself, teasing her into relaxing fully.

"We'll wash your hair first, then everything else... then we'll soak in the bath," he explained softly.

"But..." Curiously she looked at him over her shoulder. "You don't bathe in the tub?"

"No... traditionally you do not bring soap into the tub with you. It's more for relaxing purposes."

"Oh..."

"Don't worry... I'll help you." Setting the brush aside, he got up to grab a bucket of warm water, running it through her hair to wet it before soaping it down and rinsing it again. It took slightly longer than normal to wash them both, what with the teasing play of laughter and water splashing, but he finally got her into the bordering on hot tub of water. Sliding down into the warm depths he heard her sigh of appreciation, her body finally slumping back into his chest when he was all the way in the water as well.

"So how do you like it?"

"It's heavenly." With another sigh she dropped her head back on his shoulder, closing her eyes and trusting him to hold her above the water level. Then one eye popped open to level him with a look. "Will you help me bathe every time?"

"Every time you want me to... or let me." A grin spread over his face, knowing why she asked... They really had taken a long time getting clean.

"As long as it doesn't take that long in the winter time." Snuggling back into him, she wrapped her own arms around the pair circling her waist, holding herself to him through his own grip.

"Ok... it'll be better to take more time in the actual bath next time anyway."

A playful pinch landed on his hand underwater, even as her chuckles could be felt through her back. Dropping his head onto hers he let out a sigh of his own, drawing her closer to him.

"I love you, my little syren."

"I love you, too, my husband."

x

Kenshin lay spread out on the blanket they had brought for their picnic, his head cradled in the lap of the woman he loved, her hand lazily playing with his fiery hair while she stared out over the small lake they sat next to. After the bath, he had dressed quickly to start the food for their breakfast/lunch, sending her off to take her time with her hair and clothing, giving her the privacy that had been denied to her all morning. Afterwards they had set out for his next surprise, the lake a little ways back into the woods in an out of the way place that even she had never seen before. Then again, their house was a little out of the way, being out of view from the village, all on its own, another consideration he had given for her need for room and scenery. Their she had demanded her right to pamper him, feeding him each piece of food with a delicate hand, planting small kisses along his jaw, accompanied by short caresses from her free hands. With the disappearance of each morsel she had watched his eyes become steadily darker and closely following, they had made love again.

"Sing for me, my syren?"

Kaoru focused her blue eyes back on him, smiling at the request and bringing up her other hand to rub fondly over his cheek, the material of her belled sleeve softly scrapping over the full skirt; the simple, sky blue dress she wore bringing out the color of her eyes as well as the innocence. Then she was opening her mouth, the sweet sound of her voice drifting along the same breeze that played with the loose threads of her bangs, the rest of her long hair plaited into a braid that coiled onto the blanket behind her. The song was the same she had sang to him on their first meeting... the same he would request her to sing every chance he got. It was theirs by now, a connection between them that drew them together and would always call to their hearts.

Slowly his body relaxed into the blanket, drifting off into a comforting sleep while listening to tones of sadness and love. It seemed to tell his life story, his ears picking out the notes and rhythms that stood out the most for him, the fragile start, the sorrow filled lines, the beautiful ending. He liked to think that this was his ending, lying peacefully in the grass with her, loving her, being loved by her, a family later on. Losing himself inside the fragile dreams of his heart he almost missed the off noise above the ethereal dance of his wife's voice. Popping open his eyes, he listened harder, tilting his head toward the line of trees behind them and reaching up a hand to cover her mouth. There was no protest on her part, and he was glad that she knew and trusted what he had been before... what he was, in a sense, and always would be.

When it sounded again, the barest rumble of feet and the rustling of leaves, he was on his feet, reaching for the sword he had hidden from her, but had not been able to leave behind. Thanking his warrior instinct, he slung it through his belt, digging out the twin daggers that he used in emergencies and sticking them flush with the small of his back before grabbing her arms and hauling her to her feet to shove behind him. Backing up in the direction of the house and the village, a hand twisted around to make sure she stayed out of the way, it was then that she began to protest.

"Kenshin, I will not be pushed around like some defenseless little female. I can protect myself as well as you can..." A raised eyebrow and a disbelieving look leveled over the shoulder of her husband had her crossing her arms. "Ok... as well as you taught me. The point being that it will be easier if you don't have to worry about defending me because I'm defending myself."

"No."

"But..."

"No." Another look was tossed over his shoulder, this time his eyes angry and giving no ground. It was a look she had never seen before, and it scared and hurt at the same time. What could be out there that was upsetting him so much?

The rustling continued, becoming louder as the pounding sounded closer. Kaoru felt her heart beat quicken in her chest, her fingers automatically reaching out to clutch the shirt of the only person there, the only person that she trusted with her life. In response he forced her to back up faster, his hand now on the hilt of the long sword he carried... a weapon that she had only seen drawn in training, one that had saved and taken many lives. When the beasts finally burst through the line of trees to cross the clearing between them, it was clear that they were there for a purpose, their feet not even stumbling over the presence of the two humans, merely fixing their direction so that they headed straight for them.

Ugly creatures they were, their bodies slightly squat and burly, all muscle under the strips of cloth that covered the most necessary areas, heads seeming to sit directly on their shoulders. Twisted faces snarled in anger and hate, noses screwed sideways or up, forcing the bone structures to compensate, their eyes black and wide with rage while the mouths underneath curled up into their noses or were open and drooling like rabid dogs. What finally caught the attention of wide blue eyes was the wicked weapons each carried; the mace of one, the curved blade of another... all different and more disturbing than the last.

"Kenshin..."

Kenshin felt his heart clench at the terror in her voice, finding it hard to cope with such a reaction in the mind of his loved one, but blocked it out when it started to work on him as well. Hardening himself against all emotion he reached around to grab the hand that was stuck to his shirt, forcing it to let go of him so he could have more freedom of movement. A small sound of fear squeaked out of his wife's throat at his callous action, but with the coming danger almost at their feet he only had time to shout to her.

"Just stay close."

Launching himself forward, he clashed with the foremost of the grotesque group, mercilessly slicing out and cutting down the first few. Jumping free he shot at the next set closest, smoothly following through with each well practiced move as he danced around with the ringing swish of his blade as his music. As the first wave fell, he hurriedly stepped back, placing his back inches from the frozen woman, the sound of her short breaths echoing in his ears. The fright that screamed from her was almost tangible, the oily blood of his kill the only thing strong enough to overpower the horrible smell of it.

"Kaoru." He felt her jump, his attention dividing between her and the enemy still pouring from the forest. "I need you to calm down." The sound of his voice was rough even in his own ears, cold and ruthless like the call of a commander. "Now." There was a shaky breath before she sniffed once and softly agreed.

"Ok."

"I need you to do something for me... can you do that?"

"... what?"

"Run and get help."

"No." There was no hesitation in the reply, the strength and stubbornness that he was used to returning to her voice. "I will not leave you here."

"You don't have a choice."

Biting out the words hard, he left her again with a quick lunge, taking out the next few faster than she had ever seen anyone move. When he was back again, she wrapped her fingers tightly into his shirt, tugging a little for emphasis.

"Neither do you. I will not leave you here to deal with this alone. We're married dammit!"

"Yes, and you will do as I say!"

Kaoru stood dumbstruck for a moment, mouth hanging open in surprised indignation. "Why you... you... asshole!"

Kenshin stopped long enough to turn his head and look at her, almost as surprised by the language coming out of his sweet Kaoru as she was by the harshness coming from him. That was when he saw the anger and hurt as well, her eyes lit with challenge and daring. Before he could say anything more, she was yanking out both of the daggers behind his back, easily stepping up beside him and dropping into an attack stance... one that he himself had taught to her.

"What do you think you're doing?" Incredulous, he could only stare... but the conversation was finally disrupted by the arrival of the next and biggest wave. Having her fighting next to him now changed everything, he could not jump away from her knowing that she was going to be in the middle of the fray as well, so he waited it out as they ran towards them, watching them warily as they circled. Kaoru fell in behind him again, her back pressing lightly into his for reassurance, rotating as he did, her hand gripping comfortably the hilts of the razor sharp blades.

"Kaoru... remember what I told you..." Giving in with no other choice available, he voiced his worry through advice, now just trying to make sure she would protect herself to the best of her ability.

"I know... let them make the first move."

"My love... you are in so much trouble when this is over."

"Now that's interesting... I was thinking the same thing."

Kaoru pulled away first, catching the small twitch of muscle from one off to her left, dropping down under the path of his jagged blade to catch him harshly in the gut with her own curved dagger. Locking away any sense of disgust at the fall of black blood, she fixed her mind on the look of it, telling herself that it wasn't blood but something else... no real blood could look that oily. Forcing down her fear and the gag reflex at the back of her throat she turned to the next one, losing track of her husband in the fray, concentrating instead on keeping herself alive and unharmed.

Kenshin pushed himself further than he had ever allowed before, a pressure in the back of his mind calling to him to take down as many as he could to save his wife the trouble of tackling such a large obstacle. Especially in her first real fight... one that she could very well die in. Desperation taking hold with the knowledge, he pleaded with his muscles to take him faster, to react quicker, to not even let them move one step away from him and towards his precious love without his blade stopping their path. So lost in the heat of battle, he did not notice the thinning lines until they abruptly disappeared, leaving him swinging at nothing but air, the urge to protect still strong within him and blinding him until he heard her voice calling.

"Kenshin... Kenshin they're gone. Please, calm down."

Amber eyes focusing fully on her, he watched as she stopped in her tracks, indecision weighing her down as the displeasure and anger in his eyes grew even more at the state of her clothing and skin; the black smears ruining the dress while blotting out the pure expanse of her white neck and face.

"Kenshin?"

Staying at a distance he lowered his eyes away from her, angry still that she would put herself in such a reckless position but also fearful that she would not be able to accept this side of him. That while she knew about it and had heard, seeing it would make her change her mind. Breathing slowly, he carefully voiced his next words, holding down the impatience and rage that wanted to make her see her folly in a more irrational way.

"Kaoru... you could have been killed."

"But..."

"If you ever..."

"Kensh..."

"...do that again..."

"I..."

"..._I_ will lock you in that cottage for the rest of your life!" Voice rising in volume with every word, trying to make her understand, he finally looked up to see the tears and disbelief in her own... but it was the sudden turn to fear that made his heart twist. Watching as she quickly switched her grip on the dagger in her hand, he vaguely wondered if he had angered her more than he had originally thought, and as she pulled back and slung the knife at him he felt his heart drop into his stomach. It wasn't until the slight sting on his face registered in his mind and the loud grunt behind him sounded in his left ear, did he realize what was truly going on. Turning to look, he saw that the battered orc was already laying dead on the ground, the blade lodged dangerously in the junction of his jaw and neck. Then a gasp from Kaoru brought his attention back to her and he looked over to find her ripping at the sleeve of her dress and hurrying toward him at the same time.

"Kenshin... I'm sorry... I didn't mean to... my aim was off and... Oh look what I did to you." Horrified at the addition of possibly another scar to her husband, she pressed the cloth to the wound on his cheek, unconscious of the tears on her face or the words of apology pouring from her mouth.

Still half dazed, Kenshin reached for her wrist, pulling her hand away to stare at the burst of colorful red that now decorated her blue-black material. Focusing finally on the tears she was producing, he let go only to wrap his arms around her, hugging her to him and whispering sounds of comfort.

"Kaoru, it's ok... it doesn't hurt. Besides... I think you just saved my life. You shouldn't apologize."

"But..."

"It's ok. It will heal. What It wanted to do would not have. Ok?" Pulling away from her he searched her face, making sure she understood that he was not angry.

"Ok..."

"Good. Now I think we had better get back to the village and warn them..."

The distant thunder through the trees cut him off, telling them that it was not quite over yet, and when Kaoru tripped into him at the moment his attention turned away he noticed for the first time the wound she herself had sustained on her thigh.

"You're hurt."

"It's nothing..." Gasping slightly at the pain she grit her teeth and held up her remaining weapon. "I'll be fine."

"No, I want you to go on to the village. There is no way you are going to be able to fight like this."

"And you're staying behind?" The fear returned and he found that it was all for him, that she was afraid of losing him.

"Yes, I'll hold them off until you can return with help, ok? I promise not to take any risks." Pushing her gently away, he turned to stand his ground, taking in the larger beasts that poured from the woods and the bloodlust in their eyes. Kaoru would not stand a chance against them anyway.

"Only if you promise you'll be here when I get back." Stepping back when he agreed, she kissed him, ignoring the blood that smeared onto her face from his wound or the pain in her leg. Holding her to him briefly, he kissed her back. "You're still in trouble."

"So are you... so get out of here so I can get this over with faster and get to the punishment."

The laughter that rang through the air lightened his heart for a moment, knowing that she was safely on her way away from the fight keeping the anger from taking him over again. One steadying breath ran through his lungs as he waited, urging his wife to escape faster while eyeing each of the forefront opponents with a practiced observation. It never occurred to him to worry, to think that there was anything wrong with a well organized force traveling through the woods exerting an effort on two lonely humans. At least not until the swarm coming towards him broke apart to wrap around him, running by without a thought for his menacing stance, and in a horrifying insight he realized that they were after not him, nor even both of them, but Kaoru alone.

"No."

Slicing out at the wall of grotesque warriors, he yelled for them to stop, to fight him, to face him, but the only ones who heeded him were the ones that fell under his sword. Even as he tried to fight through them, they only blocked his path, keeping him from protecting the only thing he had ever wanted in his life, the only thing that really mattered. Screaming in defiance and frustration, he launched himself at the walls of his prison, desperation pulling at him when he heard her scream of terror, wanting him to catch up to her... his wife... the love of his life. In the end, he was only allowed the horror of running after the end guard as they flew past him and charged headlong into the trees on the other side of the clearing, nothing but the battered grass and dead bodies of the ones he had killed even hinting at their presence only moments before.

Running blindly, eyes smeared in bloodlust and tears, he tripped headlong into the grass as he missed his footing, landing spread out over the ground, sword thrown feet in front of him. Breathing heavily, defeat already sinking in, he fisted each hand in his hair, burying his forehead into the dirt and muttering curses and pleas in his native language. His perfect world, cradled in the palm of the woman he loved, snatched away from him in the very wake of its birth, cruelly denying him the beautiful peace and tranquility that was so very new to him in the first place. Releasing one fist to bang it harshly in the dirt, he hissed out a breath when it landed sharply on something metal and jagged, breaking through skin with ease. Anger heightening at such injustice, he lifted his head to grab and throw whatever it was, hoping to release some of his frustration and grief... only to pick up the remaining dagger that his Kaoru had been using to defend herself. The blade was covered in dark blood, still dripping off in the thicker areas and just drying in the thin, his own slight smear coming to bare on the sharp crossbar. His anguish taking over in full, he cradled the weapon to his chest and let the wracking sobs surge to life in his lungs.

"Aww... such sweet sorrow."

Snapping golden eyes up to the creature before him, he instinctively flipped the blade in his hand in defense, ready to attack. Standing before him, shorter than him as he knelt, the gnome wore a mocking look of sadness, his glee showing through his equally yellow eyes. Neatly tailored clothing announced his status of servitude, telling him that he was of greater importance to his master than most regular slaves. The soft brown of his skin was velvety and pampered, his hair combed and controlled, even down to his straight white teeth... he screamed of magic... and not his own.

"Leave me be." Voice gravely with tears and anger, Kenshin relaxed his grip on the weapon, but not on his guard, wary still of his presence, but wanting only to be left with his thoughts.

"Oh... but I thought maybe you would wish to know that your wife is not dead."

Eyes locking back on him with an intensity that made even the gnome nervous, Kenshin reached forward to twist his fingers in his shirt.

"Where is she? How do you know?"

"I know many things... Himura Battosai." Slipping deftly from his grip, pushing forth a touch of his own faerie magic to help him, the gnome jumped back from his reach. "The least of which is where your exquisite wife is being taken."

A low growl ripped from his throat, his jaw hardening in rage. "If she is so much as bruised when I find her..."

"Oh, but you misunderstand. She will not be touched. Oh no, she is most precious to our goal... no harm will come to her. At least... not yet..."

"What do you want of her?"

"That is not your concern... what we want of you, is. But alas, I am being rude. I have yet to introduce myself. My name is Nero; a representative of sorts of My Lady Yumi... but you might remember her better as the widow of our late Master Shishio, whom you stole from her."

Dawning realization lighted in his eyes, killing the tawny shade until the amethyst beneath almost shown through. "Then your fight is with me... please... leave Kaoru out of this. Let her come back home... I will come with you willingly if you would just please let her go."

"I'm afraid that is not possible, as it would defeat the whole punishment Lady Yumi is trying to give to you. You will feel her pain in the way that you gave it to her." Backing up slowly, Nero let his words harden, a power in his voice that stemmed from his mistress' magic. "Now go, Himura Battosai... search for your beloved like you have never searched before... grieve and lose heart... wallow in the loneliness that takes hold when you have to sleep at night alone... feel the pain that never leaves your heart tear away at your soul until you care for nothing. You will never find her... but if your love is true... you will never stop looking... and be damned to a life of wandering."

Screaming in rage, Kenshin lunged forward, only to be met with air as the creature disappeared from his reach and view. Falling once again in the dirt, he plunged the bare blade over and over again into the grass, taking out his frustration to the point of exhaustion. Finally pushing down the pain, forcing himself to ignore the hollowing of his heart, he sat up, tearing the dagger out of the ground and wiping it roughly on his pant leg. Lifting the clean blade, he bit the tip into the soft skin under his eye, dragging the wound out slowly until it crossed the one his wife had unintentionally given him herself and ended close to the bottom of his ear.

"I swear to you, my love... my syren... I will find you and take you back... no matter how long it takes, no matter how far I have to go to find you... I will make you mine again. I swear to you, on this blood of mine, that I will make it so."

Standing, a hand taking up his forgotten long sword, he sheathed both weapons, the hard lines of his face and eyes contradicting the tears still marring his cheeks, now mixing with the blood. Turning around, he fixed his path in the direction of the cottage. There were things that needed to be done.

x

A/N: Ok, so... I hope this isn't too different from my other stories that you won't like it... because I'm totally throwing my beliefs about the rurouni out the window and bending Kenshin to my own evil will... heeheeheehee... anyway, so this is going to be a little bit darker than any of my other ones as well... but I think I set the mood for that in my prologue. Now, I wanted this chapter to start out very loving and sweet, to set the mood on how their relationship would have continued on as if things had not gone so wrong... I even put in their first real fight as man and wife... which I laughed my ass off on... not to toot my own horn or anything. XP Ok, so I'm a total bitch... and I loved ripping them apart on their first day of marriage... boy do I make my characters go through hell. So, if anybody is confused about anything, by all means do ask... I will try to answer in the best way I can... unless it gives away the plot, and then you will just have to see for yourself.

Songs:

_Fairytale_ by Enya = This is the inspiration for the song that Kaoru always sings for Kenshin... only I imagine it longer and not necessarily hummed.


	3. A Pair of Golden Eyes

Excitement reigns! Ahahahahahahahaha! I'm so glad that everyone was happy with their dose of love and... _love_ (if you know what I mean)... in the last chapter... and take a good look... or read... or whatever... because that's probably going to be the last for a long time... at least between Kaoru and Kenshin... Well, there are going to be indirect thoughts and the like... but nothing with them together... if that tells you anything... Ok, so onto the excitement part... I'm finally getting to use one of my favorite characters in one of my stories... Yay! I just couldn't fit him in yet in any of my other ones for the simple fact that... he won't fit yet... and because him and Hiko occupying the same space could be disastrous... too much ego... Anyway... so he is going to be a main character in this one, and I'm so excited about getting to try and explore his personality for a change... try and work out how he would handle situations and feel about the other characters... a challenge... yes... but I'm going to try anyway... sorry if it doesn't add up to your expectations... but hey... I'm just having fun... All answers to your questions will be revealed in time... maybe in this chapter... we don't know... and you won't until you READ IT! Heeheheheheeeheee

Disclaimer: I wish... I wish... I wish... disappointment rears its ugly head... again...

x

"I believe in you.

I'll give up everything just to find you.

I have to be with you.

To live,

To breathe,

You're taking over me."

_Taking Over Me_ Evanescence

x

Chapter 2: A Pair of Golden Eyes

Tomoe smiled quietly at the child sniffling on the table, the little boy's skinned knee much harsher than the injury his playmates had sustained. At the age of five, he was still too young to see his prized battle wound as anything but an ouchie that hurt really bad. He was old enough to try and fight his tears however, the small tremor in his lips a testament to what he was going to do when he got home to his mother. Murmuring soothingly, she touched a wet antiseptic cloth to the open tear, cleaning as gently as she could while praising him on how big of a boy he was.

"Does your mother sing to you, sweetie?"

A watery affirmative was her answer, the pouting nod of his head making her smile twitch slightly.

"Would you mind if I did?" Tentatively she pressed, calmly looking him in the eyes and hoping to reassure him... she had to be careful how she used it, she had been kicked out of other town's for smaller reasons.

"Ok..."

Choosing with a practiced selectiveness, Tomoe started off with a solid hum, injecting a slight waver to dance around the original note after a few seconds. Distracting the boy with her hands, she covered the wound again before sliding into a series of tranquil phrases that had the boy's eyes drooping in relaxation. Soon she knew the pain would be all but gone, but she could not heal the wound all the way without raising suspicions. It was a dangerous game to play, and she was always against using her magic on lesser wounds, but she could never help herself when it came to the children... their bright and innocent worlds an envy to her and the darkness of her demeanor.

It was something she had never been able to break away from, that infliction she had been aware of since she was a child... and it rightfully came with the territory. Every once in awhile her human half would revolt, wanting more, wanting companionship and love... but she was too solitary, her syren half being the stronger of the two. Growing up in a society that made that kind of feeling a normalcy, she was hard pressed to break such a habit. Having her little niece running around her for eighteen years had helped that, though... and she was going to miss her constant presence... but she was happy for her, none-the-less. Knowing that she was making a life for herself that was outside the boundaries of what she could have grown up to be... it was enough to make her content with her part in its creation.

Wrapping the knee in a light gauze, she covered it with a strip of bandage before tying it off and sending him back out to his waiting friends and the young teenager that was watching over them. Smiling and nodding at the girl's relief-filled thanks, Tomoe wiped off her hands before turning back into the small room and cleaning up, brushing back the wisps of silver-streaked, dark hair that had escaped the tie at the base of her neck. That was another necessity she would have to live with for the rest of her life... the grey hairs that would help her to convince those others that she really was going on forty years of age... even if she was much older. Looking at the rest of her, a stranger would never be able to guess, for there were no lines around her eyes or cheeks, no loss of muscle mass throughout those years, and there was definitely nothing wrong with her figure. It was a small vanity she had let herself keep, a tiny touch of magic keeping the glow from her skin and eyes, and shimmering her hair with grey, even around the areas that would always be that way. But that was a curse she could put down to the black hair she had inherited from her father... too bad she couldn't have been blonde like her mother... or even red-headed like her sister...

Sighing at her turn of thoughts, Tomoe did a quick once-over of the room, before shutting the door firmly and walking gracefully down the hall toward her office. There was not much to do but wait for any customers, and in her line of work, it was not something she really wished for... especially on that day. The little village deserved a period of peace and quiet, if only for the mere fact that it was her niece's first day as a married woman, and she wanted that husband of hers to make sure she had the most relaxing one possible. They didn't need some kind of catastrophe striking that would end up tearing the man away from her arms and back to his own duty.

It was a shame he was so selfless, really, because Tomoe knew that it was a recipe for disaster, his attitude a way of life for the man already and a habit that could invariably take him away from the girl permanently. Shaking her head, Tomoe tried to banish the frown and the pessimistic point of view her mind seemed to be stuck in. Kenshin Himura was a good man, and he was so very much in love with her precious niece, he wouldn't take any unnecessary risks if it meant he couldn't be with her. It helped to know this with his type of background, having already faced the knowledge that fate could catch up to them, but it was a chance she had been willing to take. There was something about him that made it almost impossible to say no to... especially when he had almost begged her for the girl's hand in marriage. It had startled her that he would even ask her first, but that was another part of him that she should have seen from the beginning. He was very noble... honorable to a fault maybe. That was probably a direct result of his own upbringing, his samurai training allowing for nothing less... or so she had heard.

_I just hope that she will be safe with him... being out from under my magic is a greater risk than should be allowed, but... how could I deny her the happiness she seemed to have found with him? Even knowing who he is... what he was... what he did... she could love him... and maybe all of that was meant to happen... for both of them. I can truly say that I am relieved... if not somewhat bewildered by the outcome... what irony this world plays._

Relaxing back into her seat, she tore off the rag covering her hair, sitting it down on the desk before her and rubbing tiredly at the sides of her temples, trying to relieve the aching that developed there when she was forced to keep them hidden. Slender fingers massaging through twin bands of pure white hair on either side of her head, she let go of the muscles in her neck and almost groaned at the surge of pressure that arose. _Maybe for a little bit... it won't hurt... and besides, it takes next to nothing to hide them again._ Convincing herself without much arguing, she relaxed her hold on the power inside of her, feeling the blissful relief that always accompanied the stretching of her wings. They were not large, by any means, as she would never be adept at anything other than healing and small, domestic skills, but they were her pride. Sprouting out from the midst of her coal, black hair, they originated from the area behind her temples, a small weight on her head that expanded out to only a short two feet from base to tip... when stretched, admittedly. Delicate like the rest of her, they fluttered open, twitching in the air and ruffling the feathers so that they banished the cramps that always accumulated. Sighing in satisfaction, she opened her eyes and stared into a pair of smug yellow irises.

"Now, My Lady Tomoe, I thought you knew better than to show yourself in such public places." The words were drawn out, a mocking chastisement from the tall man leaning against the wall across from her, the laziness in his stance showing his arrogance over the situation. Lurching to her feet in fear and anger, Tomoe backed up a short step before leveling a glare back at him.

"You. What the hell do you want? How did you find me?"

Lifting a hand slowly, seemingly uncaring of her hostile personage, the man brought a rolled tube of tobacco to his lips, pulling in a deep breath before releasing the resulting smoke into the room, the tendrils curling out of his nose menacingly.

"Did you really think you could hide forever? As small and worthless as your magic may be, it still puts off enough residue to track... all you have to do is look for the right stuff." Flipping the ashes off the end to the floor below, he smirked. "Very clever, by the way, such a simplistic cover spell would never have caught the notice of your older sister."

"That's what I was hoping for."

"Yes, well, too bad it did catch mine. Where is she?"

"What are you talking about?" Feigning ignorance, Tomoe straightened her back and lifted her chin.

"You know very well what I am talking about... Your niece, where is she?"

"Not with me."

Narrowing golden eyes, he searched her own for signs of falsehood, surprised to find that there were none.

"What have you done, you stupid woman? Your magic was the only thing keeping her safe."

Hesitating under such a blatant truth, Tomoe couldn't help but let her chin drop minimally. "Apparently not safe enough. If you could find me, then so could she... and she would have never stopped. She's safe where she is." Projecting the most solid confidence in the position of her little girl, her words stayed level.

"And what makes you so sure, woman?" Stalking forward to the edge of the desk, he leaned a hand on the wood, placing the other meaningfully on the hilt of the sword at his hip.

"Don't you threaten me, Saito. I have no doubt that where she is now is proof against even you, and you will not badger me into telling you."

"Oh, don't worry, that would be a waste of my valuable time... especially since I could get one of the neighborhood children to tell me without all of the hassle."

"Don't you dare, you vile..." Drifting off in confusion, Tomoe tilted her head to the side at the commotion that was being caused outside of the building. Dismissing her wings hurriedly, she almost tripped in her hast to get around the desk when the front door of her infirmary slammed open and then shut. Dodging past the stoic man on the other side she burst through the door and jogged down the hallway, her mind only focused on what she would have to do when she reached the injured person. Running into the front room, she skidded to a stop at the sight of the figure standing before her, the ominous set of his stance screaming his anger and power.

From head to foot he was dressed in his own native garb, the deep violet of his gi almost black in the dark interior of the waiting room, the dark grey of his hakama swishing quietly as he shifted his weight. The red of his hair was no longer unruly and soft in appearance, but severely tied up high on the back of his head, clearing a path for the hard line of his eyebrows and the burning amber beneath. Blood stood out in caked rivulets on his left cheek, clumping over the profound crevice that the cross-shaped wound created in the skin and thin muscle tissue of his face. Almost casually his hand curled around the hilt of the long sword at his waist, the laziness of that gesture showing how comfortable he really was with it. Taking this all in with a sense of growing confusion and trepidation, Tomoe jumped harshly when he dropped the pack he had slung over his shoulder like a dead weight to the floor.

"Wha...?"

"Tell me, Tomoe..." The words were deadly quiet and level, an irrational fear speeding her heart beat at the sound. "Why would the widow of a long dead sorcerer have any interest in Kaoru?" The words of that gnome had echoed in his mind over and over again in the time it took him to pack and get there, and he had come up with a very interesting thought. One he did not like. If he remembered right, Shishio's widow was a syren. A very powerful one.

Dawning horror spreading through her entire being, Tomoe pulled herself out of her frozen state, jumping forward to look in a desperately futile attempt out the door behind him.

"Where is she... where's my Kaoru?"

"Tomoe." A hard hand wrapped around her arm, pinching the skin slightly in his agitation. "You will tell me why."

"Where's my niece!" Screaming at him in sudden anger, disbelieving that he would have failed so utterly at the first test of his ability to protect her Kaoru, mad that she had allowed herself to trust him at all, she pounded a fist on his shoulder. Easily catching her hand with his other free one, Kenshin forced her to stop, holding her still until she was in a better frame of mind to listen to him.

"Yes, Battosai, where is the girl? We are both very interested in knowing."

Whipping hard eyes around to the owner of the voice in the other doorway, Kenshin pinned him with a glare, suspicions heightening with the appearance of this man.

"Saito. What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I think you are well aware of my area of expertise."

Taking one step forward, releasing the woman in his grasp, his hand now curled in a more threatening gesture around the hilt of his katana.

"And it better have nothing to do with my wife."

Lifting an eyebrow at that declaration, Saito dropped the cigarette in his hands and stomped it out with one boot, shifting his attention to the woman behind the Battosai.

"You let him marry her... because you thought he would be able to protect her?" A long laugh echoed through the room, a mocking sound that grated on the other's nerves. "Have our brains gone soft living with these country bumpkins?"

"There are some things you just will never understand, Saito, and this is one of them." Sticking by her decision, Tomoe glared right back at the slanted eyes of the wolf across from her.

"No, I understand perfectly. I understand that we are short one very powerful little girl because of the faith you had in... whatever they had."

Growling beneath his breath, Kenshin launched forward, katana pulled free from his sheath in the blink of an eye and clashing with the blade of the other. Molten eyes stared into the arrogant ones across from them, his teeth clicking together in anger at being kept from knowing any information that regarded his Kaoru.

"You will tell me now, Saito... what is going on with my wife?"

Shoving hard against him, Saito pushed him back so that they were facing each other at a safer distance. Smirking again at the look of serious rage on the Battosai's face, he sheathed his sword and pulled out another roll of tobacco.

"There's no need to get violent, Battosai, I'm sure Tomoe would be more than happy to tell you the whole story."

A tentative hand touched the wound on his face, the woman stepping back cautiously when he jerked away from her. "Kenshin, let me look at this."

"No... you will tell me what is going on."

"It will be easier to talk if you let me tend to your wound."

Looking between the two, he took a calming breath, one filled with impatience and irritation, before sheathing his weapon and walking to an examining room. "Fine... but I only want it cleaned... you will do nothing else."

Following him, Saito walking close behind, Tomoe spoke up in confusion. "But it needs to be stitched or the scar will be worse, if not permanent."

"I want it to be." Never turning around, a hand lifted to the scabbed blood, gently running the fingers of his bandaged hand over the bumpy texture. "To remind me." _Of the look in her eyes and the tears on her face... of the promise I made to her... of the way her lips felt against mine... of the way she tastes... the way she smells... the way she loves... with all of her heart..._ Sitting down stiffly on the patient's table, he stared straight ahead and didn't wince once when she cleared the caked mess away from his skin. "Now talk."

Gathering the materials she needed, Tomoe quietly relayed what she knew, her mind wandering over where she should start. "Kaoru... is a syren, Kenshin..." Looking over into bewildered eyes she smiled sadly. "What irony, eh? I thought it was very... amusing... the endearment you gave her." Diverting her attention back to the cloth in her hands, she soaked it with an antiseptic then lifted it to brush gently across the wound. "She isn't aware of it... I've tried to keep it from her for so long. Tried to intercept her magic and her natural finding of it, but that is a hard thing to do, and in all actuality impossible. Because she has used it... to an extent. On small things like flowers and birds, her natural gift with children, the purity in her voice calling to other's trust. Even on you, Kenshin." Nodding at the look of contemplation on his face she sighed. "On that scar you bear on your side, the magic in her helping it along even after I had healed you... but none of it matters anymore... because my secret will not last the night. My sister will make sure of that." Sighing in defeat, she dropped the bloodied rags in her hand into a tub. "She's going to try and use her... use the power within her... to make her fulfill the dreams that were planted in her head from that power hungry husband of hers. I can only be glad that he isn't alive to help the process along. We have you to thank for that."

"Yumi... she's your sister..." Stopping the hand bandaging his face, he cornered her with hard eyes. "Why did you not tell me any of this before?"

"If I had told you then you would have told her. I wanted to try and keep it from her. If she could live a life outside of what she was meant to be... a normal, human life. Then she would have been happy. Never knowing what she was, only knowing that she was loved and protected... without the complications this will create for her. Without the horror and pain and power. She contains so much power." Desperation wringing her words, she almost pleaded with him to understand, to see it the way she had seen it all those years before when she had stolen a newborn from the weak arms of her sister.

"But don't you see... I could have protected her better if I had known what I was protecting her from! I sent her back! I made her leave my side because I thought she would be safer! I thought they were going for the village! I didn't think they were after her." His own pain showing through at the admission of his failure, he clenched his jaw and ignored the ever present figure by the doorway, as well as the hovering woman. _I lost her... I failed her... now I've damned her to something I can't even comprehend._

"You did what you thought was best, Kenshin."

"I failed her," he insisted, shaking off her sympathy and ducking away from her hand once again. "Leave it. Tell me why you did not fight your sister. If she is what you say she is, then you should be the same. Why haven't you done anything to help?"

Dark eyes diverting in shame she bowed her head when the mocking laughter of the other rang out again.

"Really, Battosai, you know nothing of syrens, do you?" Flipping his second cigarette into the basin of water, he pointed at the woman helpfully. "The woman before you is a syren, yes, but she is only half, meaning her father was human and her mother wasn't. Her sister is a full syren, her father being one of the few males that rarely show themselves to the human populace. Most male syrens are strong in magic, and the more power they hold the stronger their offspring... and so you have your syren, Yumi. With half syrens, it is harder to determine which will be strong in what. In Tomoe's case, she is strong in healing magic, but is weak in everything that makes her sister powerful. It is a wonder that she even kept her niece safe with such pathetic strength... and so our conversation was before you walked in." Taking in the dejected look of the woman, he shifted slightly and snorted. "Stop being so pathetic, woman... you did your part by taking the child in the first place."

Turning over that piece of information, Kenshin forgave then dismissed the woman once again in his mind, working through what should be known next. "Then Kaoru was only half as well... How do you know she will be powerful? What will happen to her if Yumi finds out that she cannot accomplish what she wants from her?"

"You don't have to worry about that, Battosai. Even if she is only half syren, it is only because of her father. To be truthful she really has no father, if we are being literal. Shishio may have created her inside of that woman's womb, but it was not by any normal means. She was made by his magic, a forbidden spell that has not been used in hundreds of years because of the disastrous effects it has. With all of the magic she contains in just her making alone, she cannot even truly be considered a syren. She, Battosai, your darling little wife, is something else entirely... more magic than substance. Making her unstable and dangerous. Some might say monster, if the description fits after Yumi is finished with her."

Pinning the man against the wall before he could react, Kenshin growled harshly in his face, the hard golden eyes of them both sparking at a remembered rivalry. "You will not say such things about my wife, wolf, unless you wish to be put in your grave prematurely. Nothing that she could ever do will bring about such a thought in my mind, and I will not tolerate it being said in my presence." Dropping his grip from his throat he stepped back, watching the other rub the bruised skin of his neck. "If that is all the information that you have for me then just tell me where I can find her and I'll be on my way."

"Huh... you actually think it is going to be that easy? That you can just walk up to her door and take her back?"

Amber eyes unwavering and serious, he nodded, anger making his words meaningful. "Yes... I do... and I will."

"Idiot... then it's a good thing we do not know where she is because you would get yourself killed in the process."

Stepping back into his face, his hand curled around the hilt of his katana. "You're not trying to keep this from me, are you Saito?"

"Considering I am also looking for the same girl, what reason would I have to lie?"

"I could think of plenty." A low growl working out of his throat, his muscles twitched slightly when the other grabbed his own sword threateningly.

"And just what would I do with your leftovers, Battosai, as tainted and used as she would be?" Baiting him with the words he knew he was waiting to hear, Saito smirked at the darkening of the assassins eyes, the white knuckled grip he had on his weapon.

"I'll kill you for such a remark."

One word sharply bit through the air, the two men slamming apart in a harsh gust of sound and magic. Grunting as the edge of the table dug into the muscles of his back, Kenshin looked through narrowed eyes at the figure standing between them. Back straight and imposing, eyes hard and darker than seemingly possible, Tomoe stared at the wall opposite of her with a determined patience trying to fight through her own anger. What surprised him the most, however, was the raised wings sprouting from either side of her head, the tips twitching in irritation. Taking one slow breath, letting it out with an equal discipline, she spoke softly into the aftermath.

"Don't think for one minute that just because my magic is weak in comparison to my sister's that I cannot protect myself, or that I cannot use it against either of you." Turning to the taller man picking himself up from the wall, she spoke slightly louder. "Saito, you would do well to remember that this is my niece you are talking about as well, and I will not tolerate you and your snide remarks when directed at her or her husband. Now, Kenshin," Turning to the other of the two, she watched him rise from the floor as well, a sympathy working its way into her words. "What Saito said was true, we do not know where my sister is or where she is going to take Kaoru. After the death of her husband, after you killed him, she disappeared and so far no one has even heard of her until you walked in this morning." Seeing the angry way he looked away, the despair he was desperately holding in, she sighed before covering her magic once again, her wings flattening into her hair and lengthening into twin white streaks. "That is why you will need someone who can track magic... her kind of magic... and luckily, she is nearby and owes me a favor."

x

Kaoru woke to softness, the pillow under her head molding around her and echoing the feel of the mattress she was laying on. Warmth permeated the air, the atmosphere pressing in on her making her limbs heavy and her mind sluggish. Still, with the comfortableness that she found herself in she couldn't help the sense of wrongness, like she shouldn't be there... something was missing, replaced by something that was the total opposite of what she was wanting. Wanting and missing, desperation tearing at her until all she could hear was her own screaming... calling his name. _Kenshin._

"Kenshin... Kenshin!"

Sitting up straight, her voice echoing throughout the dimly lit room, she searched frantically for him, a solid, comforting presence that would reassure her that everything was ok; would hold her and whisper soothing words until she lay calm and still within his grasp. She needed that, needed to know... that he was ok... that she was ok.

But there was no answer, nothing in the room besides her own presence and the crackling fire warming the air; the bed beneath her fitted with dark, silk sheets and feather pillows, the parted curtains making way for her observations. The room was not built from wood, but seemed to be carved from rock, everything down to the legs of her bed and the table next to her, a candle burning quietly on its surface, dripping down to meld it with the stone. Furs covered the floor, keeping the cool dampness from affecting any unprotected feet and practically begging in a surprisingly sensual way to join them where they lay. Shaking her head from the buzz of newly awakened desire, the atmosphere of wrongness lifting and surrounding her instead with memories of her husband, she furled her brow and swung her legs over the side, digging her toes into the soft hairs.

As the length of her own hair slid slowly over her shoulder, the unbound strands trailing off the dark sheets and shaming them with their pureness, she realized she was clothed differently than how she remembered dressing herself that morning. Picking wonderingly at the deep red of her dress, the sleeves long and flimsy, she stared in slight astonishment at the dip it took down her front, exposing an intimate show of full bosom and barely concealing the skin it did cover. Standing fully, she almost stumbled at the length of the train, its weight unfamiliar and tugging at the back of her dress. Here, thankfully, the material layered, preserving her modesty and giving way to a sigh of relief. The whole thing was so... forbidden feeling, the way it made her feel as it rubbed sensuously against her was an emotion that only her husband had ever raised, resurfacing the desire she had felt earlier in a much more demanding way. Reminding her of what it felt like to have his skin run over hers, the pads of his fingers scrapping through her hair, the ache and warmth pooling low in her belly.

Swallowing with difficulty, the train of her thoughts confusing her as he seemed to be nowhere in sight, she let out a shaky breath before forcing her feet to take her to the only door, the wooden barrier larger than anything she had ever seen in a house. Moving proved difficult in the dress, the rustle it made filling the room with sound and sliding over her skin like water, tangling with her legs and touching the bareness beneath, surprising her with the lack of under clothes and reminding her once again of that heat she was trying to ignore. Almost growling in frustration, she pulled roughly at the skirt, yanking the sultry length up and away from her body so she could walk properly, the tips of her sleeves now tickling her calves.

Reaching the door, she dropped the gauzy material in favor of the curved handle sprouting like water out of the smooth surface. One small tug informed her that she was locked in, the faint click and rattle of the metal bolt muffled by the depth between her and it, killing any hope that she would be able to sneak out before anyone came to check on her. Once again lifting the train of her dress, she moved back around the room to another door she had missed, the heavy curtain of the bed hiding it from view. This door was much smaller, normal almost in size and unlocked, leading her into another room that was filled with nothing but shelves of boxes, every space filled and leaving no room for more. Curious and eager, wondering if there was anything she could use to help her escape, she lifted one down, surprised by the light weight of it, and tilted back the lid to peak inside.

Green filled her vision, a spicy richness that made her almost smell the grass after rain, feel the rush of energy and delight at the coming of a storm and the cleansing it left behind. Fingering the cloth in astonishment she almost balked at the simple cotton it was made from, its softness and gentle hominess reminding her of days spent under the clouds and dancing circles through fields of flowers. Standing slowly, the dress coming to life before her, she stuck her fingers through the sleeves and held it away from her.

There was nothing to it! Dropping her jaw in horror and wonder, she took in the strips of cloth that made up the so called dress, the widest spanning only the width of her palm. It was so... so... horrendous she felt faint, worse even than the outfit she wore at that moment. Turning the monstrosity around she realized with a jolt that it would barely even cover the tops of the thighs, the vicious angle it took at the hip obviously going to show more skin than anyone should feel comfortable with outside of the bedroom... or even inside of one. It reminded her of something she heard a nymph would wear, all skin and seductive coverings. Who would own such a thing?

Releasing it to puddle back into the box like it was something diseased, she wiped her hands on the red skirt she wore before pulling down another box, carelessly leaving the first on the floor where it lay. This one contained a deep purple dress... the next a blue, then a yellow, a white, a black... all of them revealing some type of clothing, dresses of so many different colors and materials that she felt her head spin with the notion alone. Backing out the door, she felt her heart sink with the knowledge that there was nothing in there to help her escape. Closing the door more out of habit than thoughtfulness, she returned to the night stand, digging through it mercilessly yet finding nothing; no jewelry, no pins or needles, not even dust or cobwebs. She was helpless.

Plopping back down onto the bed, her head dropping into her hands in despair, she fought with tears of frustration and need. She needed her husband, she needed to find him, to see if he was ok, to know that he was alive and well and to feel the strength of his arms around her. Sniffing and wiping hopelessly at the wetness on her face, her heart jumped almost out of her mouth when the lock clicked and the door opened.

"Pardon me, my lady." A small creature she did not recognize stood with her head bowed in the doorway, the look of servitude apparent in her very mannerisms. "If you would follow me, My Lady Yumi has requested your presence in her chambers."

Eyes wide and uncertain, one hand flattened over the rapid speeding of her heart, she swallowed hard before stuttering a reply. "Requested? I.. am not a prisoner?"

Bowing lower still the girl, for she could be nothing but young with the childishness in her voice still high and sweet, shook her head and held a hand to her mouth to cover a giggle. "Oh no, my lady, you are very much welcome here. My mistress is looking forward to meeting you with great expectancy. She has waited so long to have you back." A tone of sadness crept into her words with the latter sentence, a sympathy for her mistress apparent in her tone.

"To have me back? Where have I been?" Curious as always, Kaoru took a step forward, her body bending automatically to try and put them on level ground.

"My lady is very silly. You have been away... for your own safety... but it is not my place to speak of such things. My Lady Yumi will tell you all you ask to know. She is a very kind mistress." Turning with a beckoning hand, the small gnome led her out of the room, stopping only at the call of her anxiety heightened voice.

"I cannot go out like this." Picking up the skirt once again, one arm trying to cover the skin of her chest, Kaoru bit her lip. "I feel naked."

"You wear only what fits you, my lady. It is a dress of stature, and the servants are well schooled not to take notice of such things as you are worried about. Besides," A blush stole over her features. "you look so beautiful in it."

Smiling hesitantly, a wariness still in her mind over the situation, Kaoru followed her out into the hall, jumping in surprise when the door automatically shut behind her.

"This way, miss." Trailing after the quick steps of the girl, Kaoru slowed as their path led them past several sconces of torches and wooden doorways. Tapestries hung everywhere, enthralling her with images of water nymphs and singing women dressed in flowing material and even softer looking hair. Barely catching the soft words, she shook her head and scurried to catch up.

"Please call me Kaoru."

"Oh I could not do that, my lady. My Mistress is very adamant about respect and I could not be so dishonorable to a lady of the house."

"Lady of the house?"

"Oh, I am speaking out of turn again. I apologize for my familiarity, my lady, it is not respectful."

And she refused to speak again, leaving Kaoru to stare in wonder at the scenes around her, the glimpses of rooms without doors... the indoor fountains, pools, the library... and it wasn't until the gnome announced their arrival did she realize that there were no windows.

"This is as far as I go, my lady. I will be back to escort you to your room when my lady is ready." Watching as she disappeared around a corner, Kaoru dragged her blue eyes back to the door in front of her, blinking at the intricate carving in the wood and the designs it made. Some were nothing, curls and wisps of what looked like smoke on water, but it was the giant wings that caught her attention, their delicate feathers seeming to rustle in a none existent wind. Reaching out a hand to touch it, her gaze trained on it in a daze... she jerked away when a voice slipped through the door.

"Come in, my dear, hallways are no place for us to lurk in."

Stepping back quickly, Kaoru sucked in a breath when the door swung open, a silent whoosh the only sound heard over the soft hum within. Walking through tentatively, she double-stepped when the wood moved to close behind her. Eyes darting back to the inside of the room, her heart a solid rhythm of adrenaline in her ear, she found herself staring at the most stunning woman she had ever seen.

Supported by cushions of the softest down, her body did not slump, but rather stretched gracefully, the silky texture of her dress laying about her limbs in a picturesque cascade of the deepest black. Bare feet stuck out from under the length, revealing the purest of white skin, and starting the line of her figure that brought blue eyes up to the bare shoulders. Sleeves hanging dangerously low off her feminine curves, Kaoru almost blushed at the much more intimate show of bosom from this woman than herself, even if it did make her feel a little more comfortable in her own outfit. From there her eyes trailed up the swanlike neck, over the sharp chin and delicately fairy-like features, the red hair that was heavier in tint than that of her Kenshin's, to the greenest eyes she had ever seen. Deeper than the forest after it rained, they held much knowledge and, at that moment, amusement and happiness.

"Hello, Kaoru..." Watching hazel eyes roam over her, she unconsciously lifted her arms to cross over her chest. "You have grown so very beautiful." Blinking uncertainly at the tears she saw collect in her eyes, Kaoru stayed silent, unsure of what to say to all of the compliments she had been receiving that day. "What a wonder you are a married woman now."

"Kenshin... you know of him? Do you know where he is?" Stepping forward eagerly, she now practically vibrated with energy, excited and anxious to be back within reach of him again, to know how he was.

Sadness crept into those green eyes, her face falling in anticipation of disappointing her. "Of course I do, my dear." Standing gracefully, her height taller than her by four or five inches, Yumi glided closer, her hand lifting to brush fondly over her hair, ignoring the way she flinched cautiously away. "He is safe, and well, so do not worry about your love. Not for now. For I wish to speak to you of other things, and I am sure you have some questions of your own, and if not... you will."

"Can I see him?" Relieved beyond experience, Kaoru clutched both hands to her chest and pleaded with anguished eyes, ignoring the last words of the woman, needing only to hear him and touch him and...

"No, I'm afraid you cannot. It would be too dangerous."

"But Kenshin is more than capable..." Trailing off in despair at the troubled sigh the woman gave, her eyes burned more at the arm that wrapped around her in consolation.

"You will not leave this until later will you?" Leading her to the cushions when the girl shook her head, Yumi helped her to sit carefully, kneeling before her and taking both of her hands in her own. "Your husband could not hold back the hoard of orcs that attacked you, and that was how they got to you. My intervention was lucky, and I was able to run them off, but you were already hurt and unconscious by then, and he was injured seriously as well. I healed him, even though the stubborn man insisted that I should treat you first. He is so very much in love with you." Returning the smile that lit Kaoru's face, Yumi brushed a hand down her cheek again. "And that is why you are here.

"You see, they were after you. They wanted to capture you, to use you for their wicked schemes. Their power is already great, and I am afraid that it is too much for your love to handle on his own. He cannot protect you from them, my dear... so he asked me to."

Feeling the press of wrongness surround her once again, Kaoru pulled herself away from the gaze of the woman, shaking her head in denial. "No. You're lying. There's nothing special about me, and Kenshin would not just give me away like this. And he is stronger than you think... please just let me see him."

"Kaoru... you need to understand. You are not ready to see him. You are not strong enough."

"And how will that change anything! If he is not strong enough then I could never hope to be. I would rather be with him and die then be without him and live."

"Listen to me." Grabbing her by the arms harshly, her eyes snapped with anger and power. "I will not let you go and jeopardize his life with your selfishness. He overlooked his own needs to make sure you were safe and I will not let his sacrifice go to waste by your naive thinking."

"But..."

"It is only a temporary separation... for his safety. When you are strong enough, and the threat eliminated, you can be together again, and do not worry about him. They will not attack him with you gone. He is not important to them and besides, he would not like for you to worry."

Holding in the tears, letting her words roll around in her mind, Kaoru tried to think through the air of comfort that seemed to suddenly surround her, the cautious cry of suspicion that rang in her brain pushed aside. "I'm so confused." Crying in frustration, she hung her head and barely registered the hot tears that coursed down her face.

"I know you are sweetie, but it will all be clear in time."

"You keep saying that I will be stronger. How? There is nothing special about me."

"Oh but there is, you are so very special, my Kaoru. So very strong."

"And... you have not told me who you are. Why do you know so much about me?"

Hesitating in sudden nervousness, Yumi studied the lowered eyes of the girl. "I... I am your mother, child."

Lifting bewildered irises to the hopeful and anxious eyes of the woman before her, Kaoru furled her brow. "Aunt Tomoe told me that my mother had died giving birth to me."

"And so we had planned for her to." Taking a breath, she shook her head as if to say she could not explain that yet. "But to understand this, to understand any of this, you need to know of your father first."

"My father?"

Smiling brokenly, Yumi led her back to the cushions. "Please sit with me. Indulge your lonely mother." Allowing the woman to flutter around her and reset the pillows until she was comfortably packed in, Kaoru followed her with an innocently wondering gaze.

"You are not old enough to be my mother."

Rich laughter rang through the room at her declaration, a true smile of amusement coming to grace her lips. "It would look that way, would it not? But you would not believe me if I told you my age, so let us stick to your father for now, hmm?"

Nodding in confusion, still not sure whether to believe her or not, Kaoru decided she would indulge her for the moment. The woman was obviously dying for a little human attention.

Stretching out beside her, Yumi let one hand lift to play with the strands of her daughter's hair, twisting it around her finger thoughtfully. "Your father was a very powerful sorcerer; a beautiful man, heart, mind and soul, with dark, stormy eyes and a charismatic personality. He was so charming, so handsome... so very human. He was mine the moment I laid eyes on him, and I knew it would be fun to help him realize it." Studying the glint in her so called mother's eyes, Kaoru felt thrown off by the way she talked of this man... not the normal way any proper lady would speak. "It did not take long, and I was overjoyed to find his possessiveness was almost the match for mine. But alas... it was a doomed love..."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, my dear... you do know who the Great Sorcerer Shishio was, do you not?"

"Well, yes... everybody knows of him, but what does that..." Gasping in sudden insight, her horror grew when the lady nodded her head.

"It is as you think, little one. He was my love, but when his power started to control him, and not the other way around, he drifted away from me. He became cold and distant and thought of nothing but his own conquests. He wanted it all, the empire, the world... and he would do whatever it took to gain it. That was why when I found out that I was pregnant with you, I knew that I could not keep you. His power was too great for you not to be a child of magic, and if he got his hands on you, my precious child... he would have bent you to his will. He would have used you, broken you... I could not allow that to happen to my own child. We were meant to be a free race. So before you were born, my sister Tomoe and I made a plan, and during the delivery she coaxed all of the servants and the midwife out of the room, convincing them that her magic would suffice if there were any complications. Then, when we were alone, she hid the baby, told the Lord Shishio that his child was dead, before stealing away into the night with you... I convinced him not to look for her, told him a lie about how she would take her own life in shame. It was the only way for you to be safe from him, and I have wept inside all of these long years that I could not hold you as my own."

Leaning into the embrace of the woman with tears in her eyes, Kaoru allowed her to coax her head into her lap. "You said Aunt Tomoe had magic... what kind of magic? How come I've never seen it?"

Laughing at the inquisitive child, Yumi stroked a hand over her bangs. "One at a time, love. Yes she has magic... and it is our kind of magic... yours and mine. And I imagine she never showed it to you so you would be safe. Because though Shishio may be dead, he still has followers that live rogue in the woods. They are always searching for a way to bring his ideas back to life."

"I have magic?"

"Yes, my dear, more than you can possibly imagine." Smiling in reassurance, green eyes closed slowly, a set of concentration stiffening her face, and Kaoru watched as before her eyes the loose weave of red hair twitched and from the midst of two light streaks of blond-red bands rose two wings of stormy grey. Giggling at the blatant awe on her child's face, Yumi fluttered them playfully. "Do you like them?"

"They're beautiful." Breathlessly she whispered the words, her hand rising hesitantly, before dropping back into her lap as if she just remembered her manners.

"Five and a half feet from tip to base, they stretch a little over eleven feet from tip to tip." Pridefully bragging, she spread them wide for her to see. "They are a mark of a syren's power."

"Syren's? I'm a...?"

"Of course you are my dear. How do you think I was able to track your location so quickly to intervene with the attack. You sang a song just before hand... do you remember?"

"My lullaby? Aunt Tomoe used to sing it to me so I could sleep."

"It is a very old tune... our mother taught it to us, and her mother to her, and so on and so on. It has no apparent affect on the ones who hear it, but it is full of magic, none-the-less. And sadly that is how they found you as well. They felt your power and came running."

Mind still spinning with the notion, she sifted back through the information with a shake of her head. "If they could track that, then how come they never came before? It is hardly the first time I have ever sang for Kenshin."

"Because," Head lifting to look out over the room and the rugs of fur that covered her floor, she spoke tearfully. "we did not count on the happening of you being married. The cover spell that my sister used to protect you could only work if you were under her household. Now that you are the wife of this man, you belong to him, and her magic will no longer work to shield you. Only your own magic can do that now. I'm sorry, little one. I realize that it was your first day being together truly... but they do not care about such things, and I could not risk both of your lives by letting you stay."

"I understand..." Eyes drawn back to the still visible wings, Kaoru tried to convince herself that she was what she said she was, but it was so hard to believe with eighteen years of her life being spent as nothing but a normal human being. "What does it mean to be... a syren? What do I have to do?"

"That, my dear, is something I am willing to show you, for it cannot be described by mere words. So... you will stay and learn to protect your husband?"

Closing her eyes, Kaoru pictured the smiling violet eyes of the man she loved, the way he had so willingly risked his life to protect her from the evils that wished to capture her. Love swelled thickly in her chest, and her lips twitched downward knowing she could not hold him... but he was being strong for her, had always been strong... it was her turn to carry that burden... to protect him. If it meant he would not be hurt by this, then she would stay and learn what she needed to, even if it was painfully lonely without his touch and voice. _I will do this for you, my love... and I promise that I will hold you soon. And sing for you as the syren you always believed me to be._

"I will stay... What do we do first?"

_Such an innocently trusting child..._

x

A/N: So... whadaya think? Good... bad... confused yet? Hope I answered some questions, and killed some worries with this chapter... How did you like my favorite character... a little too harsh? Or not enough? I can't help it... he's just so damn cool... A bad ass that doesn't give a shit about nothing but his job... except for maybe something else that I will bring in later... heeheehee... this might be fun... and extremely difficult... but fun... so uh... sorry it took so long, but I just keep thinking about my favorite part in this story and how I want to jump straight to it just to get reactions... but alas... I am tied down by the restrictions of a writer... bummer...

Oh, which reminds me, I also wanted to give you a sort of time line for what happened before since it will not be something I am going to go into with detail. Alright... The war started when Kenshin was five, when a rogue sorcerer who came into power, Shishio, decided that he was going to try and overthrow what he thought was a corrupt ruling power, the Empire, ruled by Emperor Cordell III. Five years into the war, the Emperor is killed during the Battle of Bainbridge, and his son, the High Prince Casimir, takes over his duties at the tender age of thirteen... with, of course, the consuls whispering advice in his ear. Seeing the corruptness that is truly taking over, Casimir sends his only sister, an infant of two, away to a farming village and fakes her death to save her from the meddling of politics, as their mother had died in childbirth. (This would also be the point where Kaoru is born.) Another five years passes with the defeat of the Empire seeming to be assured, and Kenshin joins the war during a last ditch effort to change the outcome. Saito will have been working for the new Emperor for three years already, his job unknown to all but a few. After only two years, the hoards of the enemy are thrown back, and during the infiltration of Shishio's castle, Kenshin meets him in battle and in a show of luck, is able to kill him. Thus ending the war. His wife, Yumi, disappears... as you probably have guessed.

Afterwards, many sick of the killing, (civilians unable to handle the warriors that were created) Kenshin decides that it might be best to leave so the new ruling of peace can truly feel comfortable. Traveling the world, he learns many things, helps many people... and so on and so forth... until he becomes homesick for the land he fought for, and comes back... Only to be caught in the woods outside of the village of Winthrop, by a rogue assassin of the late sorcerer's, and is injured. You already know this part... Anyway, Tomoe heals him, to an extent so that she is not revealed, and Kaoru, a sixteen year old girl, tends to him afterwards... healing him more unknowingly, and captures his heart... Now, he spends two years in this village just establishing himself and becoming friends with Kaoru. After the first year, he is now working with the local authority to protect the citizens of his new home, and saving all his extra money to build a cottage of his own. At this point he makes his intentions clear to Kaoru that he would like to officially court her. And we all know she has no objections. XD Anyway, they are married a year later, with the finishing of the cottage, and so our story begins.

So... if there are any more concerns and questions, and confusion, do ask, and I will try to answer, and all that normal stuff... no songs for this chapter... cause I think I'm going to do this differently... yeah I know... make up your damn mind! Sorry, but I'm a little flighty sometimes... sucks... well, see you in the next.. Buh bye...XD

No more author notes this long! Promise! Pinky swear and all that...


	4. Possessive Natures

Sigh... I'm slightly depressed at the lack of response I seem to be getting from this story... and though I know I should not let it get to me... because you that do read and review for me are the ones that count and the ones that I continue to write for... but I cannot help but feel sad that there are not that many who tell me their opinions on my story... It helps me to keep it going, to feel motivated... to know that someone is liking the plot-line... anyway, thank you to those that do... it means more to me than you'll ever know... and so... this is for you...

Disclaimer: I am not possessive... I just don't like it when others touch what is mine... which does not include RK...

x

"'Cause without you I'm not okay.

And without you I've lost my way.

My heart's stuck in second place.

Without you."

_Without You_ Dixie Chicks

x

Chapter 3: Possessive Natures

The length of time it took for them to leave the village was longer than Kenshin had liked. What with closing down the infirmary and making sure one of the neighbors could handle any small thing that could possibly happen while Tomoe was gone. Impatience had worn thin on his nerves, hardening his face and posture, making the friends he knew look at him in a sort of curious fear... the impressions of emotions only making his anger tighten. Now, following behind the steady stride of the woman before him, he tried hard to divert his attention away from that darkness.

"Who exactly are we meeting with out here?" The path they tread on led them in only one direction, towards the place where he had lost her, the cottage already a passing form behind them.

"A young friend of mine. Another syren." Treading carefully over the rocks hidden in the grass, Tomoe talked over her shoulder, one hand lifting the hem of her dress.

"What makes you think she will help?" Wary and remembering the stories he had heard about this solitary race, he doubted that he would get much assistance from one. Truthfully doubting he would get much help from anyone.

"She owes me... and she will do as I ask."

"What luck that you have acquired the favor of such a useful syren? I wonder what exactly you have done for her, considering what... social creatures you are." Saito, speaking up with a mocking draw from the back of their group, quirked a smile when she tossed a glare over her shoulder.

"If you must know, I am hiding her from the magic of another syren, in much the same way I have hidden Kaoru from my sister."

Snorting in irritation, Saito growled under his breath. "If having this woman's abilities also means we will have to deal with whatever she has after her, then it might not be worth the trouble."

"Oh believe me, it's nothing that horrible. The only trouble you might have would be a possession dispute... but I'm sure you can both handle that." Words biting back at the wolf from the lips of the woman, Kenshin felt only a little bewildered at the lack of knowledge he seemed to have, especially when the taller man behind him let out a breath like he'd been hit in the stomach.

"What would a "possession dispute" be exactly?"

"It means this little tracker who is about to join us has a follower... of the male kind. This could get ugly." Silently taking out a cigarette, Saito took his time puffing it to life. "Just how long has she been hiding here?"

"A few years."

"That just makes it better doesn't it?" Muttering under his breath, the both of them ignoring the confused red-head, Saito sniffed once before spitting in disgust. "Orc blood."

Rounding the corner, Kenshin felt his gut clench at the sight of that battlefield again, the dead bodies and churned mud; weapons sticking out of the ground in half-hazard patterns of chaos. This was where he had lost her... he never wanted to see this place again. Lip curling unconsciously, he jerked at the hand on his arm, turning away from the sad, dark eyes of the woman who was now a part of his family; connected by the marriage he had been a part of only the day before.

"I didn't know this was where it had happened, Kenshin, and I'm sorry... but she is in the lake."

Nodding his head in understanding, he walked by the others, leading the way through the maze of monsters and to the blanket that still lay on the grass. Wind-blown, it curled up around the basket he had used for their food, its dark-green, plaid material giving him the image of her white skin laid against it, her blue irises reflecting the sky. Closing his eyes with a calming breath, he focused instead on the white dress of the syren next to him, her newly bared feet taking her to the bank and then further... the barest ripple of disturbance casting out from the soles walking effortlessly over the liquid.

Hands raising to parallel the surface, her hair stirred and her wings lifted, spreading wide and curving in the feel of the wind, the feathers ruffling as her voice joined in the dance. High and sweet she started, the note falling down into a playful banter of sopranos, dipping only into the upper alto before reeling off again. The tune was like the brook after spring rains; ever moving, ever joyful... to hear such happiness hurt the heart of the ex-assassin, wondering at what kind of race it took to sound so cheerful after the loss of someone dear.

Water boiled from the center of the mass, spewing outward in a continuous fountain before the figure of another woman stood over it, the appearance taking place between one breath and the next, the surface once again smooth. Walking slowly, she gave the three more than enough time to take her in; the slightness of her body, the length of dark hair reflecting green in the light of mid-afternoon, the twin wings jutting sharply from her skull. Rigid and unyielding, they stood the exact opposite of the other syren in their midst; the streamlined feathers short and trimmed, laying flat against the threads of her hair and ending after only a bare foot of length.

Yet however unapproachable her wings were, there was a playful swagger about her walk, a strut that set off the outfit she wore, fluttering the ruffled skirt out from her legs, the slit going all the way to her hip. Echoing the skin of her lower body, the top did not connect, showing the mile of torso until the scarf-like cover wrapped over her chest and tied into an intricate knot behind her, trailing stylishly down her back and touching the water at her feet. Like the wings of a dragonfly, the color shimmered metallically with each stretch and release, teasing... seductive like the syren she was.

"My Lady Tomoe..." Bowing with a coy grin, the girl never let her aquamarine eyes leave that of the other's, straightening after only a second and tilting her head back slightly to look up to the taller woman. "Why the sudden visit? You've never come before." Pouting insincerely, she lifted a hand to play with the sleeve of Tomoe's dress. "And I've been so hungry for attention." Eyes catching the men behind her, they lit with mischief, her teeth pulling on her lip in anticipation. "I see you've brought me presents."

"They are not for you."

Sighing, the girl stuck out her bottom lip, her eyes meeting the amber of the red-head. "So my nose tells me. Such a shame, really... but it can't be helped." Stalking up to him, she smiled, her arms clutching behind her as she leaned in to whisper conversationally. "I can smell her all over you. The sweetness of her magic; the lily of her breath... the jasmine of her hair. She's already wrapped around you..." Circling behind him, she spoke over his shoulder. "claimed you... and small wonder..." Coming back to his front, she looked up at him through her lashes. "you know how to pleasure a woman. Seeing such passion in a mere human..." Tilting her head to the side, her eyes drooped in remembered appreciation. "I could almost taste it myself."

Giggling at the way his face only hardened further, she turned to the other, her hand actually reaching out to touch the collar of his shirt. "You, however, are free for the taking." Laughing at the hand that snapped around her wrist, she instead flattened her body against him, her chin lifting to rest on his chest. "I don't mind such treatment... if you don't."

"I mind the consequences that would come with it. The jealousy of your possessor would not be the best opponent over something so... undesirable anyway." Stumbling away, her face lost every inch of openness, closing into something angry and resentful.

"I am owned by no one. I choose what I do, when I do... and with whom." Teeth baring over the spit of her tongue, she stepped back into Tomoe's side, resting her head on the woman's shoulder, her arm circling her waist as she stewed in her rage. "He does not own me."

"Misao, as much as I sympathize with your plight, there are much more pressing matters to attend to. I need to call in my favor."

"What would you have of me?" Grudgingly speaking the words, Misao pulled away to twirl the threads of her hair around her fingers.

"I need your nose. More specifically... they need your nose... to find my niece."

"She is with your sister." Turning to the water, she hurried back, the statement screaming her discomfort and malice of being made to do something she did not wish to.

Stopping her progress, Kenshin leveled her with an unamused glare. "You have not repaid your favor, telling us something we are very much aware of. We need to know where Yumi is exactly."

"She is not to be messed with." Meeting his glare with one of her own, Misao stood straight and crossed her arms. "Just ask her sister what consequences there are for becoming her enemy."

"You don't need to follow us through the door, we just need you to show it to us."

"It does not matter whether I fight her directly or simply point the way, she will find out and she will make an example of me... like she has done to others."

"Then think of it this way, little weasel, the woman that you say has claimed the Battosai is her daughter, and if we do not find and stop Yumi from corrupting her, it will not matter who is friend and who is foe... they will all fall under her power... if she wishes it."

"You have seen her, Misao." Tomoe walked up beside her, eyes sad yet unyielding. "You have seen my niece... Tell us yourself what kind of power she possesses."

Aquamarine irises dropped to the water behind the red-head, then traveled slowly to the blanket on the bank. "She is strongly connected to her emotions... her magic reflects this. As she is now, she is pure and innocent, beautifully naive... content with the lie of being human... but..." Sighing heavily, her playfulness gone with the seriousness of the situation, she lifted her head to stare into the woods. "It is as you say... under Yumi's corruptness... she could destroy this land... if she allows her anger and rage to rule her."

"Kaoru holds no anger." Sharply denying her words, amber eyes pinned the girl. "She will not do any of these things. Not if it meant hurting others."

"Human notions." Tongue rolling over the description like it was something diseased, Misao fired back, her slight body stepping toward him. "She is a syren. She may fight this, she may deny the call, but in the end it will consume her. And when it does... there will be only one thing she will truly care for, one thing that could bury her in rage and sorrow. Yumi knows this and will use it to her advantage. Why do you think she separated you from her so thoroughly?"

"I don't understand."

"We, human, have obtained a reputation as solitary and cold, have we not? But it is not because we do not care for things... but because we are only capable of caring for one thing. We are not like you, who care for others readily and allow them power over you. There is only room in our hearts for one... and that one will consume a syren, to the point where nothing else matters but them. It is true that half humans, like Tomoe, have more freedom over there emotions, like your Kaoru does, but they still feel the pull of that possession. It is a desire, an envy to have, to take, to allow no one else to touch because they do not have the right... She has claimed you... I have already told you this."

"Then what does it matter? She is my wife, there is nothing in this world that could ever make me betray her, and no reason for her to ever believe that I could."

"You do not know the Lady Yumi. Her magic is strong, and twisted... there's no telling what she could do or make your "wife" believe."

"Which is exactly why you have to help us Misao." Stepping between the solid glares of the two, Tomoe gently pushed the red-head a step back. "Arguing like this will get us nowhere. Just acknowledge that we have agreed this is a problem that no one can ignore. Misao?"

"...I will have to think more on it... You realize what kind of a stir my presence will create anyway... I am risking more than just punishment from your sister."

"You're right... this is a heavy decision. We will give you until tomorrow morning to decide. At the cottage then?"

"Yes."

Turning again to the water, Misao started her way back to the cocoon of magic that kept her cloaked, the home she had made and lived in for a little over four years. Halting and leveling her chin at the hand on her shoulder she let out a breath of irritation.

"What?"

"Lady Misao," Bowing stiffly in respect, Kenshin stared at the grass tickling her toes. "your help would be greatly appreciated, and though I do not fully understand the threat you are hiding from, I would be prepared to protect you. No harm will come to anyone who is willing to help my wife. I give you my word."

Raising one eyebrow in amusement, Misao laughed openly when his posture did not change. "Humans are strange. Your emotions change with the tides. So temperamental and fiery, then honorable and calm... but fascinating. I can see why others would find you appealing." Shaking her head, she tilted her eyes back to the sky. "Your words are very noble, sir, but I am afraid you will not speed my decision with such proclamations. My situation has been delayed too long for the protection of a mere human to be of any help. You would hinder it anyway... as you are male. No, human, I am alone... and alone I will think on this."

x

Kaoru sat on the lip of a pool, the robe she wore damp and hanging limp around her still dripping figure. The silk material was all but ruined, sticking to her skin in dark blotches under the sopping weight of her hair and clearly outlining the shape of her tightened chest and straight thighs. This was ignored by the captivated young syren, however, as she listened with wide eyes the history of her race from the lips of her mother.

They were an old power, at one time all equal; a single city holding their population within its embrace and sheltering the young from the corruption of evil without. In the ocean this city was founded, far beneath her blue skirts and wonderfully isolated. Until the wish for freedom and open air sunk in, turning them against one another in frustration and irritation. Some said it was the mermaid's whisperings that set them to it; promises of beauty and the everlasting sky bringing the first to the surface.

Humans were mistaken as kin then, their looks masking the fact that they held no magic of their own... only the power to kill and conquer. And yet however ugly their nature, they were appealing to the curious... and the malicious. Songs of desire and temptation lead many to their deaths, seductive promises of lust bending the weak hearts of men... and many women. Though they were few and far between in comparison.

"Why is that, Lady Mother?"

Stopping her tale, she looked up at the expectant sapphire irises of her daughter, and smiled coyly. "Male syrens believe we were mistaken to leave the city, that we displeased the gods with our revolt, so many stayed behind... That is why they are so few in comparison to us female. If you ask me, I think they were afraid of change, of seeking out a new home and destiny for our power."

Thinking this over, Kaoru kicked her feet slowly, the wash of liquid flowing between her toes. "So men feared us after that? Is that why we went into hiding and became solitary."

Floating lazily in the warm pool, Yumi closed her eyes and kicked her feet, her naked state ignored and completely natural for her... unaware or uncaring of the embarrassment it was still causing her poor daughter. The girl's horror growing every time a servant would walk in and then back out with food and drink for the two. Especially since said servant was male.

"Mostly dear. They did not like our dominance, and like every other mystical race, we were set upon by their warmongering ways and nearly wiped out... but we prevailed... through combing our race with theirs we survived. Though the price was dear and we lost most of our powers... we are still alive today. Many I know still hold a grudge against man for their actions, and yes, that is why we are hidden from the world again... but that is all in the past."

"Why did it not work?"

"Why did what not work?"

"The city, under water... why did we start to fight? I mean, I know you said it was from some likely outside interference, but... there had to be some other reason as well. Surely it didn't happen all at once, especially if we had been living there for hundreds of years before the first left."

"Very true, you clever girl... the truth is, I think it was a battle between the nature of our souls. As syrens we are extremely selfish, and care of nothing unless it directly affects our lives. So when there is something or, more specifically, someone that we become attached to, we do not give them up lightly... It is like an extreme jealousy, an almost... how do I put this so you will understand? Like... an obsession... much more potent than anything a human could possibly comprehend. It is stronger in the males, we have discovered, and this, I think, is the reason why our two genders do not get along well... A relationship between two of our kind is a hard thing to maintain. The possession has to be both ways or it will never work... If say, a male decides he wants you, but you do not want him, it is a hard thing to break, and it sometimes becomes violent... his heart and mind already locked onto you and his instincts will drive him to claim you. This is the exact opposite of everything that we are... and that is why we do not live together well... we cannot stand to live under such oppression."

"So... what happens to the syren who is denied successfully?" Fearful of the implications, and yet sympathetic to the imagined hurt caused to their example, Kaoru questioned carefully.

"It depends..." Brow suddenly furrowed in discomfort... Yumi turned her back to the girl. "Some, if dealt with fast enough, will recover quickly and find another to focus their attentions on, or learn like the rest of us that it is best if our kind mingle only for the most basic of needs."

"Basic of needs?"

Smiling at the confusion clouding her eyes, Yumi stood up straight in the water, her hands bracing on her bare hips while her pupils caught and followed the well-groomed servant she had ordered to serve them. "Sex, dear."

"Oh." The silent exclamation was accompanied by the darting of her own gaze to the dark eyes of the servant, the blatant lust and appreciation she could see there as he looked her mother up and down making her blush.

"However," Walking to the edge, she stepped out daintily, spine straight and head high as she dripped onto the stone at her feet. "others that have become too attached and cannot break the obsession, go into a rage... a bloodlust. Surrounded by sorrow and anguish, despair and hurt, anger, madness... all emotions that blacken the heart... they will seek a way to exact their right. To make those that hurt them feel their pain, and ultimately... destroy themselves."

Horrified, Kaoru covered a hand over her mouth to stifle the gasp. "How awful."

"Yes... the poor creatures that suffer so much deserve better..."

"But... oh but if the feelings are returned and there are no complications... then they live together peacefully, in love..." Eyes innocently brightened by such a notion, her thoughts returning to the shared feelings of her and her husband, even if he was human, her lips twitched as she smiled at the beauty of such a union. One she was a part of.

"Something like that..." Walking over to the waiting robe held in the strong fingers of her servant, Yumi turned her back to him and allowed him to wrapped it around her, her shoulders moving into his hands suggestively. "But love is a human idea, my dear, something they have already defined and tainted..." Looking boldly over her shoulder she smiled encouragingly at the way his hands brushed over her body to reach the tie at her waist. "our feelings are something much deeper than that..." Grasping his wrist as he finished the loose tie of her belt, Yumi stepped out from the circle of his arms, allowing him the privilege to feel the curve of her figure before returning her attention to the girl. "I think that is enough for today, young one. It is late, and you will need your rest. For tomorrow we will begin your training."

Nodding in agreement, Kaoru walked to the door, casting one last glance over her shoulder and catching the nameless servant following her mother through another door, her hands twisted in the collar of his uniform and her lips curved into a promising smile. Turning away in embarrassment, Kaoru let herself out, crossing her arms over her chest and following the walls that led her back to her own room full of animal skins and silk sheets.

Running her fingers along the stone, her mind briefly reminding her that she had never asked about the absence of windows, she contemplated the entirety of her day. Only that morning had she woken in the arms of her husband; his warmth against her skin, his fingers possessively curling around her ribs. It had been so beautiful and seemingly unreal to her now, like it had happened in a dream... but, she could still feel his lips on her neck, his hands on her hips, the build up of heat that pushed her mind into the planes of passion. Letting out a breath of loneliness, she quickened her step, the tightness in her chest sickening her stomach and making her jaw quake with tears.

Bursting through her door, she pushed it shut behind her, her breath starting to heave in her lungs as she desperately battled away her longing. It was so very potent, this need, a want to have his arms around her, an ache to hold him back, an undeniable hunger she could not fulfill. Latching onto something else, anything else, she cast her eyes around the room, finding the new furnishings filling the empty space with a sense of relief instead of curiosity.

The armoire leaned up against the stone wall to the left of her closet door, its drawers and double doors filled with everyday clothes and necessities she was glad to see. Dropping the sopping robe she wore to the floor, she pulled out a violet one from out of the bottom, its color reminding her of Kenshin's eyes when he looked at her. Sliding its comforting softness around her body, she shivered once at its warmness, the dry material something she needed after the swim she had taken. Walking back over to the fire, she sat in the chair next to it, the vanity in front of her lit with candles and alighting the mirror with the flickering image of herself.

It seemed odd that she would look the same, like nothing had happened to make that day any more special than the one before. Her eyes were still blue, her skin still white, her nose still sharp... nothing to show that she had become a woman on that day; a wife, a lover, a syren... Blinking the haze from her eyes, Kaoru picked up the brush set out for her, running the bristles through the damp length of her hair before deftly plaiting it to hang heavy down her back.

Dazedly watching her fingers move back and forth in a dance of their own, her hair left tightly bound behind them, she tilted her head to the side and blinked, finding the hands now tangled in her hair to be his. Longer fingers bent and traded, carefully tightening the strands, smoothing out the unruliness beneath with a patient observation. The tie was knotted with the same tender concern, the braid dropping heavily into her lap, and then soft lips touched her cheek, the kiss caressing her face like the wings of a butterfly... moving just as slowly to taste her lips, his eyes catching hers, asking, accepting, then taking... gently... innocently... it was their first after all.

Sighing tearfully, Kaoru tilted her head to the ceiling, letting her hands fall to her sides as she leaned into the back of the chair. _I want my husband... please... I want you back. _Tears slid slowly from the corners of her eyes, her body shaking, her fists clenching, her mind revolting against the weakness. _I won't do that... I'm here for him... I'm here to protect him. He would do the same for you... so just stop it... you're not helping anything and it certainly won't make it any easier._ Wiping determinedly at the wetness of her cheeks, she stood to go to the bed, its empty expanse tearing down the walls she had just built around her heart.

Trembling, she ran the texture of the sheets through her fingers, the smooth threads like the skin of his stomach brushing lightly against her body, the comparison surging that longing to life in her chest. A sob breaking free of her throat, she struggled with the knot at her waist, jerking the robe away from her until she stood naked and flushed from the firelight. Slipping hurriedly between the sheets, her eyes closing as she imagined that it was him surrounding her and not the silk of bedclothes, she buried herself under the sensual feel.

Laying flat on her stomach, her cheek pressed into the mattress, she brushed her fingers back and forth across the surface beneath her, imagining herself feeling the ripples of his chest, the curve into his stomach, the strength of his arms. _I wish we would have stayed in bed, my love... I wish you had talked me into staying there. With your fingers on my body and your whisperings of desire in my ear... I wish I could have told you that I love you more times than I did... I wish I could have showed you that I care so much more than you know... I don't want you to doubt... I don't want you to forget... You won't, will you? You know, don't you? I love you... I need you... my husband... my love... my... only... Mine..._

x

Kenshin's figure drooped as he sat on the corner of the bed... their bed, in their home, inches away from where they had joined as one that first time... and the second, the third... In his lap lay the pure whiteness of her wedding dress, the formless mass bundled around his hands, dropping limply to the floor below and fanning out around his feet. She had looked so beautiful in its simple elegance, so wonderfully untouchable and innocent; a perfect flower he wanted to pamper and watch grow under his loving attention. With the tightness in his chest restricting his voice, the wonder clearly present in his eyes, she had smiled at him, that nervous yet love filled tilt of her lips showing him what he needed to know. That she was his... wanted to be... wanted him... wanted to be married...wanted to share a life.

Lifting sad eyes to the window in front of him, the darkness outside broken only by shots of lightning from the coming storm, he stood, carefully cradling the material to his chest as he walked over to the trunk sitting next to a small vanity. Inside, her clothes all lay, their bright colors cheerfully reflecting the personality of their owner, the lightness of her demeanor. Folding the dress delicately on top of the others, checking the edges so they would not be shut in the hinges, he closed the lid and sighed heavily. _I will make sure you have someone to wear you again... I promise... _

Feet taking him back to the bed, the sheets rumpled and tossed half-hazardously about from their wrestling that morning, he stared at the wrinkles and crooked pillows, remembering... her... The darkness of her hair haloed out around her head, contrasting with the straight white beneath her, her eyes a wonderful splash of color in this world of black and white. She was recovering her breath, her lids heavy, her lips parted, her skin slick with sweat... hers, his... theirs...

"_Did I hurt you?"_

_Smiling tiredly, her hand ran up his back, delving into his damp hair and pulling lightly. "You could never hurt me, Kenshin."_

_Heart trembling at such trusting words from the mouth of his beloved, he lowered closer to kiss her, wishing he would never have to move from their joined position; wishing they could be so close forever._

"_Never," he agreed softly._

Soft amber irises caught abruptly on the dark spot in the middle of the bed, the round stain a testament to the virtue he had taken from her, that she had offered to him. A show of her love and trust, of the small pain she had endured to fulfill his desire and need, of the white lie she had told. Breathing unevenly, he moved to lay down, fully clothed and uncomfortable, his hands reaching to pull one pillow into the curve of his stomach, his face burrowing into the feather cushion. It smelled like her, the whole room smelled like her... so potent he could almost taste her again, feel her again...

"Koishigaru." Fisting fingers into the down pillow, he curled tighter into a ball, his eyes clenching shut as he tried to remember what she had felt like next to him. "Koishigaru..."

x

Kenshin did not sleep well, and when a light knock landed on the door to his bedroom in the early hours of the morning he was awake and alert, the pillow still snuggled into his chest. Sitting up slowly, his mind numb and his body following closely behind, he made a sound close to what he hoped would be a polite enough response to get them the hell away from his personage. There was no mocking laughter at the roughness in his voice, or the unconsciously aching quality he projected into it, only a silence and then the retreating of heavy footfalls. He was thankful for that in the least, although he did not think pity from the man would make him any happier.

Straightening his clothes to the best of his ability, re-pulling the unruly strands of his hair back into their tight top knot, he stared down incoherently for a couple of seconds at the unmade mess of his bed... their bed... _She should not come home to such a disaster._ Bending over the warm softness of the cotton sheets, he carefully yanked on the edges to bring them all into a smooth harmony with one another, meticulously folding down the flat sheet over the light blanket and beating down the pillows so they fluffed naturally at the head. Running a hand nostalgically over the last wrinkle, he turned resolutely away and walked out the door, shutting it firmly behind him.

Down the hallway he could hear light conversation in his kitchen, the musical sounds of two women and the deeper sound of Saito making him hope. Through the door he found Tomoe dressed in a heavy cotton dress, the wet length of her cloak hanging neatly by the door with another, slightly shorter one next to it. Across the table a woman he didn't recognize for a moment looked unhappily out the window at the pouring rain, making huffy noises of agreement at the leaning form of the man next to the door. She wore light colored trousers and well oiled leather boots, the white cotton shirt overlapping the waist line while a well-fitted vest held her all together. Only when the aquamarine of her eyes met his did he fully realize who she was, and he almost sighed in relief; one, because she was there and two, because she was in much more practical, and concealing, clothing.

Grinning wryly at the look on his face she tipped her seat back and crossed her arms behind her head. "Yes, this means I'm going, Himura. But don't think you can order me around just because I'm helping you... and it doesn't matter why either. I'm going... and I promise I will help you find your wife. As long as you promise not to try and help me out in my own situation."

"That is a weird request, Lady."

"Yes, well... it is my own business... and if you got killed... it would only complicate your own situation even more." Stretching and standing up, she reached for the cloak on the wall and the bag on the floor next to it. "Well, shall we be going?"

Nodding in agreement, he picked up his own bag next to the door, uncaring of the lack of food... they could eat while they walked... just as long as he was one step closer to having his wife back... his life back.

x

**Glossary**

**koishigaru -** to miss or yearn for; I miss you, I yearn for you (I found this word in a story I read by the Lady Yumi on her page of fanfiction for Rurouni Kenshin; I found it to be a very beautiful word and the usage was very emotional. I love all of her stories and have to bow before her as a master.)

A/N: Well... I'm trying to get the plot going, but wanted to show how they are doing separately in their new places and missions... After this though, it will be more focused on what they are doing to bring them back together again, and how Yumi is trying to keep them apart. Please review for me... even if its nothing... every opinion matters to me... and it helps me to become a better writer, which in turn helps you to understand the stories better. Tell me what you hate about... tell me what you like about it... tell me if you find one part particularly horrible, emotional, funny, stupid, just whatever... If there is something you don't understand, if you understood it well... I would just like to know, so I don't have to sit and wonder if the reason I don't get much response is more because my story sucks than because a lot of people don't read it... Thank you for those who do, and I really do try to respond... I just don't get to the internet very often.


	5. Pursuit

Disclaimer: I do not own madness… but I am no stranger to its embrace.

x

"Then he said,

'If you want to get out alive,

Oh, run for your life.'"

_Get Out Alive_ - Three Days Grace

x

Chapter 4: Pursuit

Silence reigned as the group trudged on, like it had the day before, and the day before that, and the day before that... With weeks behind them the trees seemed to stretch on forever, the unforgiving depths of The Lockwood giving ground only to those it wished to. Determination was still strong within Kenshin, however, and something so trivial did not work him into irritation, only challenging him to put one foot back in front of the other.

The sun was high over the treetops when they stopped to rest, the brightness of midsummer highlighting the leaves and speckling the ground with a playful shadow that warmed and cooled everything under it. Bugs buzzed lazily around them, ants marching a relentless path across the dark dirt while birds and other animals made their presences known through their separate calls. The soft sound of laughter reached the traveler's ears as well, making the syren in their group grin in amusement as the nymphs watched with unadulterated curiosity. Whispered words in a language the two men did not understand filtering through the wind so lightly it was mostly mistaken as such.

Giggling over her flatbread, Misao looked up and caught Kenshin's attention. "They want to know if it was your mother or your father."

"What about them?" Frowning down at his own travel food, Kenshin asked offhandedly, his manner hard and uncaring since there was no need for such facades on this trip. He did not much care for conversation, and preferred the silent wolf to this woman's mysterious chatter and exchanges with creatures he found to be flighty and unreliable.

"Did your mother give you such faerie-like features or was it your father? You know," Going on without waiting for his answer, she looked at the golden-red strands of his hair, the shots of light turning it to fire. "they have a good point. You are much too pretty to be fully human, and you fight like a devil. Your parents must have been deadly and beautiful to have made such a child."

"Does it matter?" Giving so little was asking too much of the ex-assassin, and he turned his head to the trees instead of facing the others, narrowing his eyes as he finally caught on to the absence of wind and the too silent stillness of the surrounding forest. Standing slowly, one hand going to the blade at his hip, he searched the area with observant eyes, darting back over a certain spot when he caught movement. "He's back."

Saito stood with his own blade at the ready, placing the trunk of a large redwood at his back, his own golden gaze held steadily forward as he listened with his other senses, following the feather-light footfalls of their stalker with ease. Misao, sitting silently in between the two, hung her head as the playfulness of seconds before left her, fists clenching in fury at the continuous interruption of their trek.

As the silence stretched, the men held their places, both trained enough to stand for hours without the slightest movement. They were prepared to give as well as receive, to blend in with the forest as well as the other could. What they weren't prepared for was the sudden onslaught of harsh laughter and the scream of a dying nymph, the darkest cord of sound flowing through the air like a foreboding shadow of evil. Unable to keep the shiver of disgust from coursing through his veins, Kenshin swallowed down the fear and latched onto hatred; a feeling of anger that had been building within since that fateful day after his wedding night. Irises darting to the others in his party, he watched a sneer curl the wolf's lip, the unmoving form of the syren, and felt frustration well up in his chest.

Side-stepping the tree, he slowly drew the weapon at his hip, intentions coming clear to everyone. This was going to end now. Lips opening to call a challenge, muscles tightening in anxious anticipation, her set his stance and took a breath, jerking his head when small fingers wrapped over his mouth.

"No... I told you I would handle this."

Tiny as she was, the syren strode forward, unprotected and in plain sight, arms lifting in offering as her chin leveled in her own challenge. Then a language he had never heard before shouted from her lips, spitting in anger and malice, echoing through the treetops and pulsing with power. An answering shout battled back, a dim form stepping into view, face hidden by long lengths of stringy hair, only the shiny red of his eyes glowing from out of the midst of his person.

Gentle laughter rang from the woman in front of them at his appearance, her voice turning soft and enticing, one hand stretching forward to invite him to her. There was a pause of hesitance, the male syren unsure of what to do about her sudden surrender, and then he was pacing forward, an eagerness to his step. Words, soft and low, spoke across the clearing to her, the tone shaky and needful. Whispering encouragement, Misao held both hands out as if to embrace him, her stance shifting from one leg to both, widening in readiness... and he stopped, red eyes narrowing. Searching her face, he saw things there that he did not like, the flicker of revulsion that she could not hide. Hissing in rage, he took a step back, leveling his own hands before him and clenching his fist hard enough to draw blood from his skin. An ominous ripple surged through the air, foretelling the attack before he let out his breath in one resonant pulse, the tone malevolently vibrating in their ears.

Heart quaking at the forceful wave, Kenshin felt his muscles droop in weakness, brows creasing in confusion. Leaning into the tree next to him, he took a step forward, only to catch himself against the trunk once more, the voice of their attacker rising in volume until the leaves shook in fear. Darkness descended upon them at high noon, the sun hiding itself from this awesome force of unnaturalness. Clouds, black and heavy with rain, ran low enough to touch the treetops, thunder rumbling with the strength of its lightning partner.

Another step forward, and their foe let loose a keen that almost dropped them to their knees, only the woman standing tall and unaffected. Unable to see clearly, Kenshin shook his head as the girl braced herself, arms dropping to curl in front of her, gracefully arching as if in dance, fingers curling like water and flowing with the movements of her body. Shoulders twisting back, her face came into view. With eyes closed and mouth solid, she drew a breath through her nose, eyelids snapping open with force, revealing the bright aquamarine beneath, their depths swimming with magic. Elevating the graceful length of one arm, seemingly unhurried by the threat they faced, she echoed the tilt with her chin until she was like an arrow pointed to the sky. Lips parting delicately, she lifted her own voice, her tongue gently caressing her speech, the authority in her presence asserting itself above that of her enemy's.

Purity soaked the ambiance of his sinister timbre, battling against his evil input until a shot of light pierced the shadows, struggling to grow under her careful guidance. Infuriated, the blood shot eyes of the other spat with anger, his voice growing wild and untamed, magic frolicking without bounds and hitting her like a slap, knocking her to the ground. Light disappearing with the absence of her gentle support, everything darkened once again.

Misao caught herself weakly, her own power much smaller in scale compared to her supposed possessor. Sucking in a breath at the scrapes burning her skin, she dug her nails into the dirt in frustration, and ground her teeth, feeling the hurried stalking of the other as he advanced. Looking up into the faces of those she traveled with she felt that anger in her grow at their helplessness, their strength as humans not able to stand up to this madness. Decisive she kicked herself up, taking another stance her grandfather had taught her, one that was unnatural to her female body, calling on the energy around her, separating it carefully from his, she pulled in her limbs and in once harsh cry pushed it out.

Surprised, he fell to the ground, grunting at the bite of a tree branch in his back, the tangle of vines wrapping around him. Limbs shaking in rage, trees hissing in defiance, the forest let loose its own punishment.

Running back to the others, Misao slapped each square across the face, shouting for them to run, following the anxious calling of the nymphs and dryads to leave; run while they could. Grabbing her own pack, she took off without a backwards glance, hearing the pursuit of the others close behind. Nothing would stop his anger now, not now that she had denied him, attacked him. They had been safe before, but only because of the slim chance that she might accept him... there was no more. He would not tire, he would not stop... _I will have to defeat him... somehow._

Words were few between the three, the deepening of the black sky reminding them of the threat not far behind. There was no more laughter from the creatures that watched, only fear, a horrifying anxiety over the destruction he could cause them. Screams rent the air of the few unlucky, wicked laughter and haunting, archaic singing... then the rain. Thick and murky it pounded down on their unprotected bodies, none willing to stop long enough to pull on their cloaks. Mud puddled below their feet, sucking at their boots and slowing their progress. The noise drowned out their senses, the solid drum on the leaves deafening, tricking their minds, causing them to jerk cautiously to either side, fearful of his return in such a sudden fashion.

Time stood still, only the persistent pressure in the backs of their minds urging them to run, to ignore the burning of their lungs, the weakness in their muscles, how heavy their weapons felt. Stumbling again, Kenshin caught his knee on a root, cursing foully but refusing to let it slow him down. Wind pushed and pulled him, a blessing and a curse. Water trailed into his eyes, blinding him at points and setting him off course, forcing him to correct his direction more times than once. Swiping at his eyes in irritation, he took in the steady pace of Saito, the way the girl bit her lip to try and keep up. _We can't run forever._

Golden eyes catching his own, Saito nodded, as if reading his thoughts. One hand lifting to his eyes, he pointed, then directed them out to his right, and then up. Nodding his own understanding, Kenshin grabbed the girl by the arm, pulling her roughly with him to the left. There was a squeak of alarm, but she went willingly with one meaningful look. Breaking out of the loping jog, he sprinted hard, dragging her along behind him for as long as she could stand it before she tripped. Yanking her up without pause, he curled one arm around her waist, before leaping hard for the trunk of the tree next to them.

Bounding like a deer fleeing the hunt, he bounced between several of the large redwoods, making headway forward as well as up, the weight of the small woman a minor detail to his surge of adrenaline. Ignoring the rain, and the slapping of leaves in his face, he paused on one large branch to catch his breath, steadying the syren and holding a hand over his eyes to take in the ground below them. Nothing moved, no wildlife sounded, not even the unnatural sickness of the syren that pursued them.

"We need to figure out what to do next, my lady." There was a long pause of silence, Kenshin's hard eyes searching relentlessly over the details of the forest.

"They called it... _Dolor Cruentus_."

"What?" Turning away from his view of the ground, he angled an uncertain look at the lowered head of the syren.

"Literally... it means Bloody Grief. Its name was given because of the blood-red tears a syren will cry when its heart is broken. A syren will survive in this state until its anger is worn out. Until its revenge is taken." Unreadable irises finally met his, and understanding began to dawn. "I have given this madness to him, and he will not let me be until he is dead... until I am dead."

"He loves you." The statement was not a question, and his eyes narrowed when her head dropped again. "But you do not love him back."

"No... my heart desires too much freedom to love. I will not be possessed."

"Then... he does not understand what love is."

A smile crossed her lips briefly, and she laughed. "A syren does not love like a human. We are not so lenient. You would do well to remember this. Your pretty wife may only be half syren... but she will not understand nor care if she even thinks you have strayed. Jealousy does not become us."

"So... there is no other way to overcome this grief besides death?"

The syren paused, her head tilting to look out over the trees. "No, there is no other way."

"Then he must be killed."

"... Yes... but I am not strong enough."

"Then we will have to find another way." Amber eyes swept the forest floor again, freezing at the sound of soft rustling. The noise was almost nonexistent, suggesting at something other then normal daytime activities. There was something else following them. "I think it is time we leave."

Grabbing her arm, Kenshin vaulted up another branch, making sure they were hidden from the ground by the thick foliage of trees. The rain had let up, the sky still darkened by the massive cloud coverage, and Kenshin was grateful that he was able to penetrate the shadows with his gaze. The syren may be a force to fear, but the one he traveled with did not act like she could see any further than his back.

It was several hours later when they regrouped with Saito, the darkness of the sky deepening to black at the absence of the sun. The wind had died down, the rain a faint drizzle, and even with the mud covering the ground, the small syren collapsed, her breathing seriously labored.

"I only managed to shake him an hour ago." Saito glanced down at the shaking limbs of their female traveling companion. "I guess it is lucky he followed me by accident." Misao glared back at him, her back lifting and falling with the rhythm of her breath.

"We will rest here while we can." Kenshin glanced around, his eyes narrowing at the feeling of disturbance in the air. "You should eat something." Tawny irises looking over the girl, he watched her nod absently before he rested himself against a tree trunk and nibbled absently on his own trail food. Saito sniffed at his own dismissal.

"We were followed as well." Speaking up softly after moments of silence, Kenshin frowned down at his hands, noticing absently that the girl shot him a look of surprise. "I'm not sure what it was… but it could see us, even as well hidden as we were."

"Something else has marked us then." Saito sneered, spitting in the dirt. "This will make our travels more difficult if Yumi has already sent her agents to take us out."

Kenshin's own lips twisted in a snarl, his hand straying to the hilt of his katana. "Let them come, if they dare." Eyes darting to a dark press of shadows further into the forest, he studied its shape before it disappeared. _Let them come._

x

Yumi perused her reflection in the mirror for several long minutes, making studiously sure that her perfect features were not dipping into any frame of age besides young and beautiful. She _was _nearing her hundredth year of life. Briefly sparing a glance to the young gnome standing patiently a few steps back, she tilted her head to the side and made sure there were no grays in her red hair except for the ones that were supposed to be present.

"Well, girl, how is my daughter fairing?"

"She is catching on quickly in her studies, My Lady." Dropping a quick curtsy, Erthel spoke up in her sweetly girlish voice. "She has almost mastered your language, and is acutely adept at healing magic already."

Yumi sniffed once in disdain. _Healing magic. What use is that to me?_ "And how is her temperament? She isn't still moping is she?"

"Not so much, My Lady. She has contented herself with the situation and hides her pain well."

"Good. But… make sure she isn't too comfortable. I want that pain to still be fresh in her mind."

"Yes, My Lady."

"Has there been any word from your father yet?"

"I am here, Mistress." Nero stepped out of the shadows, his bright yellow irises alight with triumph. "I found him. He is with another syren."

"My sister?"

"No, a young one. She has the gift of scent."

Frowning, Yumi fisted her hands, her jaw clenching. That man was much more adept than she had been giving him credit for. "How did he acquire another with such talents to help him? My name alone should have struck fear into any syren's heart."

"Forgive me, Mistress, but I do not think it will matter for too much longer."

"And why is that?" Snapping at him in impatience, Yumi snarled, her two sharp canines flashing in warning.

"Because, this young syren has been marked."

Yumi blinked rapidly, her green eyes glinting, the look reflecting onto her most trusted servant. Laughing loudly, her voice rent off the walls and echoed throughout the chamber. "Fool! He'll be dead within…"

"The hour. Their pursuer is hot on their heals and he is powerful. More powerful than they are."

Yumi smiled, satisfied that her plan was working out so smoothly. She hadn't originally wanted him dead so soon, but it would work to her advantage this way as well. Holding out her arm to beckon her servant to her, she ran his short hair through her fingers in an almost sensual way. "You are so good to me, Nero. And soon, when this accursed land has been punished and my husband's dream realized, I will reward you."

The grin he gave back was all teeth, each sharply pointed nub shining brightly white. "I would like that, Mistress. I look forward to the day."

x

Kaoru sighed, massaging her temples in irritation and discomfort. The pressure was growing by the day and she knew that if she did not relieve it any time soon she was going to cut her own skull open. Dropping her hands in defeat as the pain throbbed persistently, she leaned her head into the glass in front of her, the coolness soothing on her hot forehead.

The room she was in was her favorite, and she spent most of her time in it when she wasn't training or in lessons with Erthel and her mother. The one reason being, it was the only room in the entire castle that had a window, and after discovering the door leading in by accident one day, she understood why. They were underwater. It had been a little disconcerting at first, and it had taken several days for Kaoru to grow accustomed to the thought that she was no where near the sky and the life outside of the ocean they resided in. She felt restrained and caged, terribly claustrophobic, and more times than she could count she wished for the cool kiss of spring rain and the sound of rustling leaves.

Not that the view out of the large observatory wasn't amazing, or beautiful in its own way. There was no counting the number of fish that swam by, the brilliant array of colors they came in, how they swirled and flashed in the reflections of her dim candlelight. There was a pod of dolphins that loved to make rounds of the castle as well, and she enjoyed listening to them talk to each other; loved watching them play. Once she had even caught sight of a whale, its enormous body still graceful in its smooth movements, its dark eyes seeming to stare straight into her soul. No doubt there was a certain allure to the ocean, but she missed her simple country life. She missed her husband.

Squashing those drowning feelings before they started, she bit her lip and crushed her eyes shut. It had been weeks since her wedding night, and she still dreamt of him, could still see his face with sharp clarity. A part of her feared that all too soon those memories would fade and she would be left with nothing but a feeling; a yearning for something that she could not remember. She desperately wanted to hang on to every moment they had ever shared together, because those thoughts were all that kept her going, all that kept her learning. Urging herself on with a stubborn will and an aching heart, she relentlessly mastered everything they had put in front of her. If only to quicken her day forward when she would be reunited with her love.

"I miss you so much, Kenshin." Lifting a hand to flatten it longingly on the glass before her, she closed her eyes and saw him smile, his own irises amused by her shyness and affectionate towards her softly spoken confessions. "Please. Please don't forget me." Heart throbbing at the idea that she might spend enough time away from him that he would move on with his own life, she sucked in a shaky breath, her eyes wet with tears.

Abruptly a soft scraping noise rose out of the room behind her, and she jumped, her body spinning around to find who or what had snuck up on her. Darting alert irises around the shelves of dusty old books and fluffed pillows, she caught sight of a small lump of shadow in a corner, hiding behind a couch. Stepping forward cautiously, her hands pressed into her chest, she bent her body at the waist so that she might be able to penetrate the darkness better. She was slightly startled to find a pair of coal black eyes staring back at her.

"Hello…" Speaking softly, she took light steps, a shape defining itself as she came closer. "Did you come to see the fish as well?" Spiked, unruly hair came into her view, covering those piercing eyes, and she found herself admiring a scrawny little boy. She smiled. "I don't think we've met before. My name's Kaoru… Kaoru Himura." Smile widening at the name she was now allowed to give, she stopped when she was feet from the other, smoothly kneeling down so she could look him in the eye. "What's your name?"

The little boy twitched slightly when she knelt, and a wary light entered his gaze. His movements upset his position, and a shine of light speared across his features. It was only then that she observed the cobwebs stuck in his hair and the dirt smearing his face, and when he shifted a second time she caught sight of his bare feet. Frowning at the lack of care he had been shown, she automatically shuffled closer, her long gown hindering her motions. At this he stood, and she absently noted his height before he took off to the door, his unguarded feet padding softly against the rock floor in rapid succession.

"Shy little thing. I wonder if he's one of the servants." Brows creasing together, she stared at the empty doorway, thinking of how all the other servants looked; clean and well groomed, and none of them were scrawny. _Has that boy been neglected? Surely not, there would be no reason to. I haven't seen any harshness out of any of the people here. And he… well he only looked like he was seven or eight years of age. Maybe I should ask Lady Mother._

x

Kenshin stood quickly, Saito echoing the stance on the other side of their make-do campsite. The syren in their group slept on, her body exhausted after the day's run and in no condition to be waking up any time soon. Gritting his teeth, Kenshin motioned for Saito to keep an eye out toward the west then knelt down, placing a hand over the woman's mouth before shaking her awake. She came out of unconsciousness quickly, her eyes wide when she found herself restrained, and she struggled briefly. When comprehension sunk into her mind, she darted her eyes to the other man, twisting her body around to look in the direction that he was staring.

"He found us already?" Whispering she jumped to her feet, quick as a cat and just as silent, gathering up her supplies with a surprisingly steady hand.

"Yes."

She cursed lightly, but was soon hiding behind Kenshin's shoulder, her aquamarine irises glowing in the dark. "Shouldn't we be running?"

Kenshin spared her a glance, his muscles tense, and without even looking to Saito, the taller man answered for him.

"We should be. But you are in no condition to run."

"I could make it just fine." A bristling anger filled her voice, but she was cut off by one sharply annoyed look from the ex-assassin.

"We have spent the whole day running, you're exhausted. An hour of sleep will do you no good, especially since running did not help our situation in the first place. He is still here and he is still angry. If we run, we are only putting ourselves in a worse position. At least like this we can anticipate his movements."

"And die fighting?" There was a mocking quality to her tone that had been missing for most of the day, and he smirked.

"If it comes to that… but he will learn that until I have my wife back where she belongs, I will not be visiting the afterlife."

With sword drawn and muscles tight, he searched the area with hungry eyes, almost eager to have this match out, to feed a growing impatience inside of him; a darkness that had once covered his soul. He was slowly losing himself to it, knowingly and almost willingly drowning within permanent indifference and a constant rage. It was better than the aching sorrow that throbbed in his chest. So much better than the emptiness that spread through him at her loss. Anger was better than misery.

Strung as tight as he was, he jumped when the large syren spun from nowhere out of the night.

Instead of keeping his distance, the syren's magic made for long-distance attacks, the man charged wildly, blindly running towards them with blood streaming his face in rivers and a scream of rage filling the air. Pushing back on the woman standing close to his spine, Kenshin leaped forward, his bare blade humming through a precise swing as he met their opponent. The move was perfect in every way, but Kenshin had faced magic before and was not surprised when he missed.

Landing in a crouch, he swung to his right, anticipating the attack to his side. One thought pounded through his mind. Keep him moving. Keep him off balance. Without time to generate his magic, there would be no time for the syren to attack. Swiping his deadly blade through the air, Kenshin concentrated on the feel of its rage-drenched ki, unwilling to give him an opening.

"You'll be killed, fool!" The young syren's voice echoed through the night, anger and irritation vibrating her cords, but Kenshin ignored her. There would be no room for distraction in this desperate fight.

Slipping up behind him, Kenshin stabbed forward with the point of his blade, sliding out his right foot to balance his weight to counter when the syren dodged. It was a dangerous game to play being this near to his rage induced power, but Kenshin felt he had no other choice. As the larger man stepped as lightly as he, his magic testing the air around him and sending sensor shocks throughout his nerves in warning, Kenshin felt the same swell of energy consuming his own ki. There was something wrong with this creature. He held too much power.

Concentrating only on their dance of death, Kenshin was wary to notice that the other had not attacked back as of yet. Hoping that it was only because he had no opportunities, he was soon proven wrong when a scream of fury ripped from the syren's throat and he lashed out with sharp claws. Jagged points dug deeply into his shoulder, tearing at his muscles and burning with the introduction of many elements that were not meant to be there. Earth, bark, mud and the juices of plants and many types of blood. Hissing in pain, Kenshin jumped back, his shoulder nearly useless. Handicapped, he watched the other approach, his sightless, red eyes oozing blood and staring through his soul.

_What is it like to hate and love someone so much you would gladly tear apart your soul just have them in your arms before you die?_

The thought drifted pointlessly through his mind, and Kenshin stared, frozen at the syren before him. Could his Kaoru truly look like this if she were to be angered? If something she loved, beyond reason, was to be taken away? Could she even now look like this poor creature? Would she, his beautiful, loving wife, live only to kill _him _if this were to happen to her?

"Wake up, you fool!" Saito appeared before him, his back solid and straight as he swung at the man with his own drawn sword. Flashes of sparks spun out of the night as the wolf soldier took over, the syren's voice screaming in anger and hatred, his claws meeting the deadly steel with their own. Breathing heavily, Kenshin tested his shoulder's strength, grunting in pain when spears of fire lanced down his arm and into his chest. _I cannot move my left arm. _Cursing, he gripped the long sword in his other hand, watching with intent irises for an opening to add his own skill to the fray of movement.

"Don't move. You'll only speed up the venom circulating your system." Misao stepped up beside him, her eyes lowered behind her bangs as she stared at the bloody mess of his wound. Soft fingers prodded the mass, applying more pressure at the areas he reacted to the most. Sighing, she meticulously placed her hands on either side of the torn tissue, digging her fingertips into his bicep and the muscles of his neck. "I'm afraid this is going to hurt. I am not as adept at healing magic as Lady Tomoe is."

Kenshin ground his teeth on a grunt, feeling every inch of his muscles contract. It seemed almost as if he could follow the path of his blood as it stopped in its tracks, feel the very separation of normal cells from the alien invaders. Something sizzled in his ear and he turned his head to watch as something dark oozed from his wound, its liquid hot and corrupt. A wave of nausea swept over him and he swallowed thickly over the bile in his throat. Weak-kneed, he swayed, the strength of the syren digging her nails into his arm the only thing keeping him on his feet.

The woman was persistent, the sweat beading off her skin showing the amount of energy and concentration it took for her to use this unfamiliar magic. She was not well schooled in the art of healing, and while she was aware of the basics, this wound was much more intricate than she was used to. This type of injury required the skill of a master, such as Tomoe. But in the current situation, her novice abilities would have to do.

Misao waited until clean blood, bright and red, spilled itself from the man's flesh before she relaxed her voice. Now that all of the venom was removed she would be able to start on the reconstruction of his muscles and skin tissue. It was a good thing the bone was not splintered, as she did not think she had enough energy left to work on its dense material.

Shifting the cadence and rhythm of her voice she focused her power on the wound itself, urging the broken flesh to merge back together. Willing her voice not to break, aware that the slightest slip-up could possibly cripple the man, she released his shoulder with a gasp when the last span of skin molded back together.

"There… you should be… able to fight now." Leaning heavily against the tree next to them, Misao silently blessed its willingness to lend her its strength.

Kenshin, his own skin drenched in sweat from enduring the pain, clenched and unclenched his hand experimentally, wincing when it throbbed sorely. _But at least it is usable. _Nodding a thanks to the woman, he stopped at the sight of her. She was white as a sheet, and she shivered, as if sick with fever.

"You are not well."

Laughing weakly she rolled her body so that her back leaned into the harsh bark of the tree. "I am not a healer by nature, Himura. It is a hard thing to force oneself to do." Swallowing over the weakness in her limbs, she stood slowly to her feet. "There is no help for it. This fight is a desperate one." Nodding in the direction of the two harried fighters, Misao's eyes drooped in desolation. "He will kill us all, I'm afraid. It would have been better for your cause if you had not asked for my help." The woman took a shivering breath, her spine snapping straight slowly as her chin leveled. Saito was doing no better than Himura had, and he soon would be no help. "Your mission is more important than this dispute, Himura. I hope you will forgive the delay I have caused you because of it."

"What are you planning, my lady?" Suspicious, Kenshin reached out a hand in the pretense of steadying her, holding her still so she would not escape.

"To finish this, Himura. I told you I did not require your help for this. I would appreciate if you would honor your promise." Summoning the last of her strength she wrenched her arm from his grip and strode determinedly forward. Calling out in their strange tongue, she screamed for the other's attention, her arms spreading wide to offer herself to him. Confused, the mad syren broke off his attack on Saito, ignoring the wolf as he stumbled away.

"What is that crazy woman thinking?" Voice curt over the heaving of his breath, Saito's muscles jumped in fatigue and forced preparation for another attack.

"I think she is doing something so ignoble as saving our asses."

"Sounds more like suicide." Sniffing, he took a step forward, ready to interrupt the slaughter before it happened.

"Wait." Jerking his arm roughly, Kenshin pulled him to a stop. "Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Irritated yellow irises turned from the red-haired man to the scene playing out before them, blinking in disbelief when he found the source of Kenshin's scrutiny.

Misao trembled. She had never been so scared in her life. But she was a syren, a much more powerful and noble creature than the lower human races were. She would not let them take that honor away from her by dying in her stead. Fiery aquamarine irises steady and unyielding, she stared in disgust at the filthy being before her, his bloody gaze covering the once dark eyes of a lover she had entertained.

"Ah, Katsu, what have you done to yourself? You used to be so handsome." Long dark hair tangled around his dirt smeared face, blood from his eyes gluing the strands to his skin. Fine clothing, or what remained, hung ragged from his arms and legs, his bare feet tattered from constant abuse. Lifting a delicate hand she gently brushed at his hair as a mother would her child, slowly allowing him to watch her actions. He sniffed at her, the way an animal would, and she smiled sadly at his degenerative state. "You were such a beautiful syren, Katsu. I pity what you have become."

Smoothing her fingers into the streaks in his hair, she coaxed out the appearance of his dark wings, their purity strange next to his sick manifestation into anger and pain. "I will not let you continue on this way. I will save you from this madness." Fingers gripped tightly at the dagger behind her back, her muscles quivering in anxiety and fatigue. _I must be quick. He will kill me if I make a mistake._ Smiling gently, she moved so that her forehead braced against his, his clawed hands digging reflexively into her shoulders. Holding in a wince, she planted a dainty kiss on his lips, her mind shouting in triumph when he relaxed. Every muscle poised to strike, she slammed the deadly blade into his stomach, wrenching the steel as far as she could into his flesh.

A scream of rage filled the night, his hands clenching back into her arms. The sound was maddening, horrendous, and everything within earshot cowered. Struggling to be free, Misao gasped in horror when she realized her mistake. Only a killing blow would stop a syren in the midst of rage.

Another scream and the monster picked her up off the ground and threw her, her back cracking harshly against a tree. Grunting and wheezing, she coughed at the blood tickling her throat, hacking at the thick gumminess before it choked her. Clenching her jaw together, she lifted herself to her hands and knees, stubbornly pressing herself to stand. Wiping at her lip, she leveled her chin and spit at his feet. "You are a disgusting excuse for a syren if that is the best you can do. That I sunk so low as to let myself be loved by someone so weak."

The creature hissed, baring long fangs, its wings twitching in irritation at her voice. One step brought it closer, meaningful in its stride. One more forced tremors up her spine, the blood oozing from his stomach placing more meaning behind the strength one could carry in such madness. Two steps from her and he reached, her eyes angry and disdainful, refusing to show fear. "I want you to know, Katsu, before you kill me, that I never loved you. You could never possess my heart. You. Disgust. Me."

A sharp screech tore at his throat, his hand lifting to strike her down. Braced for the darkness of eternity, willing her death to be quick, she jumped at the blood that splattered her face, her eyes widening at the point of a blade. Staring down the blood-soaked steel, she followed its path to the chest of her attacker, blinking when it withdrew in a sloppy suction of sound. Katsu gurgled once, red eyes drying to a caked mass, before he crumpled to the ground at her feet. Watching the miracle in silence, she switched her gaze to the dark boots of her savior, sliding her eyes up his trouser covered legs and further, his tall form towering above her. Sucking in a breath at the hard ice that she was met with, she trembled in a new fear, her voice strained and near silent.

"My Lord Aoshi."

x

Kaoru knocked politely at the door of her mother's chambers, smoothing a hand down her dress in preparation. Her mother insisted on perfection when it came to her looks, and she did not approve of sloppiness, even in rest. Smiling at the appearance of her mother's personal servant, she entered when beckoned, poising herself perfectly as she stepped to her mother's side. Gracefully falling to her knees by her chair, her skirt puffing out around her, she rested her head in her lap in submission. One smooth hand brushed softly over her hair, her mother's voice crooning to her in affection. "What is it, my heart?"

"Mother, I stumbled upon something that bothered me today."

"What could possibly bother you here, love?" Yumi kept her voice clear and level, full of concern and love. Combing her fingers through her daughter's beautiful hair, she hummed a quiet tune of reassurance and peace.

"I saw a boy. I wasn't sure if he was one of the servants, and he ran away before I was able to find out. He seemed afraid of me, Mother." Worried blue eyes lifted to forest green, searching her gaze for an answer.

"Why do you think he was afraid of you, dear?" Slim fingers stopped their travels through her hair, a small frown line appearing between her brows.

"He would not speak to me when I talked to him. And Mother, he seemed to be neglected. He was so dirty, and he was barefooted. He'll surely catch a cold running around that way." Concern filled her voice, true in every octave of her words. She was afraid for the child.

A small flare of anger ignited in Yumi's heart, and it took every ounce of her self-control not to let it reflect onto her face. "You must be speaking of Yahiko." Fueling pity and sadness into her tone, she let her jaw tremble and tears to gather in her eyes. "The poor boy is so stubborn and willful. He won't let me take care of him like he deserves."

"Why?" Unable to comprehend what would make the boy act in such a way, Kaoru looked up to her pleadingly, wanting to understand. Needing to know if there was any way she could help.

"He has truly caught your interest, hasn't he?"

"Of course, Mother. I cannot just let someone treat themselves so poorly, not if there is something that can be done to help. Please, Mother, you must tell me everything."

Sighing dramatically, Yumi waved her hand at Erthel, calling the delicate gnome forward. "Find the boy and bring him here." Erthel bowed deeply, before disappearing out the door. Turning back to her daughter, she smiled, her lips trembling as if it were a hard task. "You must understand, Kaoru, he is a shy boy and does not like to associate with others. And," Balling a fist into her chest, she pulled in a shaky breath. "I do not want you to be… shocked by the way he will act when he gets here." Green eyes looked to the wall above her, filling with tears that deepened the color to moss. "I'm afraid he… does not like me."

"How can that be, Lady Mother? Surely you have been nothing but kind to him?" Surprise echoed out of blue irises, her eyelids spread wide in disbelief.

"This is true, dearest, but…"

The door opened slowly, a soft hush of sound, and both eyes turned to the door where Erthel was ushering in the untidy boy Kaoru had glimpsed earlier in the day. Appearance available in full with the bright lights of her mother's chamber, she was dismayed to discover her earlier observations were only the tip of the iceberg. Filthy was an understatement for the young boy. There seemed to be years upon years of layers caked onto his skin. Dirt stained his hands and feet, hiding itself under his chipped and broken nails. His hair was matted and tangled, old cobwebs hanging off its length to brush at his ear lobes and shoulders. The clothes he wore were a mud color of brown, indistinguishable and ill-fitting. Where the shirt was torn and too tight across his chest, his trousers were short and too baggy on his slender frame.

A soft sound of alarm rubbed at Kaoru's throat, and the dark eyes of the boy locked instantly on her. Intent, searching, aware. They stared through her, into her. Sifting through the deepest recesses of her soul and weighing her worth. Shifting her weight back, she gasped at the intensity, her heart racing in her chest. But it wasn't until her mother stood to walk towards the boy did his eyes enter the realms of hatred.

"You poor, dear child. Haven't you forgiven your mother yet?" Her hand reached towards his face, her intentions clearly maternal, and he jerked away, disgust plain in his irises. Kaoru watched, confused by his actions. Sighing, Yumi turned back to Kaoru, her eyes lowering in defeat. "He is your brother, Kaoru. A fellow syren, like you. Only… only he," Her voice hitched, and her hands lifted to cover her face. "he was born a mute, and he will never be able to sing the music in his heart."

Kaoru stood to her feet, compassion rising within her for her mother and the boy. Wrapping her arms around Yumi's quacking form, she held her until she quieted, her eyes sad and full of pity. "He blames me, Kaoru. He blames me for his inability to sing, and it hurts me that I was unable to give him a voice at birth."

"But that's not your fault, Lady Mother. You cannot restore something that wasn't already there to begin with. That was my first lesson in healing magic."

"I know, love. I know, but… I am his mother. Should I not be able to do more for him than any other being on this planet? Shouldn't I be the one to love and comfort him?"

Kaoru's eyes furrowed, feeling the pain that was so obvious to her mother. Switching her attention back to the boy still standing in the room, she found him watching their exchange, the same intensity strong in his gaze. How horrible would it truly be to have no voice? To not be able to sing when your whole being cried out a melody of life, needing to be translated into song? Releasing her mother gently, she moved to kneel in front of the boy, missing the look of anger that crossed over green irises at her apparent dismissal.

_If it hurts Mother so much to see her son like this, then maybe I can help them both. If he lets himself trust me… maybe I can give him the love that Mother wants him to have._

"Hello, Yahiko. My name is Kaoru." His eyes wavered in uncertainty, his muscles twitching in preparation to flee like the last time. Smiling openly, she sat back on her feet, her fingers twisting together in her lap. "I always wanted a younger brother to play with." The uncertainty deepened in his eyes, his head pulling back as if he wasn't sure what she meant by the statement. Obviously the idea of playing with a girl was not his idea of fun. Giggling, she leaned forward, casting a quick look over her shoulder before whispering behind a hand. "To tell you the truth, I never did like playing with the girls in my village. All they ever wanted to do was play dolls and house. I preferred playing knights and bandits with the boys instead."

The look in his eyes softened, and Kaoru was curious to find a large amount of amusement in his features, as if he were envious of her innocence. Heavily his eyes closed on a sigh, and she watched in surprise as one dirty hand lifted in offering. Delighted, she took it readily, standing to her feet when he gave a tug. Throwing a glance over her shoulder, she flashed a smile at her mother, happy that he had decided to trust her so readily. Following him out the door, her ignorant form satisfied with the day's events, she was unaware of the exchanged glares between her brother and her mother.

As the door clanged softly shut behind them, Yumi held in a scream and knocked over the chair beside her. Seething, she rounded on her servant, lifting a hand to smack her across the face. Anger soothing to a kindling flame, she watched in satisfaction as Erthel struggled weakly to her feet. Having vented her frustration, she strode to the mirror on her vanity and bent to study her features.

"I specifically told you to keep that brat away from her. Why did you not do what I asked?"

"I'm sorry, Milady. I was not aware he had found her." Gasping at the pain in her cheek, she held down the tears and stood straight for her mistress. She did not like to see weakness in her servants.

"You should have been! You should have prevented it!" Erthel cowered, her eyes trained on the floor as she flinched. Closing her eyes on a calming breath, she forced her features to stillness. It would not do to sully her perfect looks with such temper tantrums. Shifting her weight back to her feet, she righted the chair and sat primly back down. "It does not matter, we will simply have to make doubly sure he does not keep her from the path we have chosen. I want you to keep a close eye on them, and report to me everything that happens. I will not have him telling her the truth, do you understand?" Erthel nodded hastily, voicing her assent in her girlish voice. "Well, at least something has gone right today. That meddling husband of hers should be dead by now, along with that nosy syren."

A soft plop not unlike water hitting stone sounded and Yumi looked expectantly to her most loyal servant. Green eyes bright in anticipation, she greedily encouraged him with a wave to deliver the news she greatly needed to hear.

"My Lady… Himura still lives, as does his companions. They killed the one that followed them."

With a scream of fury and a crackling of glass, she reached out and back-handed the gnome to the floor.

x

A/N: Yay! I'm finally done! And I think I'm going to bed now. I've been killing myself trying to write on these stories during the time I truly do not have to spare. Ah well, the price is well worth the reward. Please review and tell me what you think. I'm dying to hear some feedback… Please! I'm begging you! (sobs in overdramatic pain and fatigue) lol


	6. Siblings

In this story I will be employing a few Latin words and phrases. I apologize if they make you stumble, but there are not many, and I have used a glossary at the top and bottom of the page. Two that way it is easy and faster to reach the words in relation to where they are used in the chapter. I would also like to apologize to anyone who finds mistakes in my conjugating… I'm still learning. XP

**Latin Glossary**

**dominus -** lord

**domina **- mistress, lady

**caritis dominici -** Literally it is translated as 'dearness of the Lord's' but it can also be 'the Lord's dearness' (if you've ever taken Latin, or any other language course, you will understand why I had to explain it this way)

**amor -** love

**amabo te -** please

x

Disclaimer: I have three brothers, one younger than myself… and I do not own any of them. But they own a piece of my heart.

x

"I will not lie little sister (thou shall not fall)

Come, come to your brother (thou shall not die)

Unchain me sister (thou shall not fear)

Love is with your brother (thou shall not kill)."

_Cry Little Sister_ - G Tom Mac

x

Chapter 5: Siblings

Kaoru giggled breathlessly as the boy gripping her hand pulled her insistently down the endless hallways of the castle. Doorways and corridors she had never seen flashed by them, and she craned her neck to catch glimpses of the alien surroundings. Around several more corners they shifted, Yahiko's bare feet slapping a near soundless cadence across the rock floor, making Kaoru frown distractedly. _I will have to find him something to wear._

At last he slowed, his hand still tugging on hers as he opened a large door and urged her inside. His dark eyes swept over the corridor behind them, as if afraid they had been followed. Inside Kaoru found they had entered an unused study, a small fireplace, empty and covered in dust, stood against one wall, a pile of moldy books lining the other. A few large cushions were scattered about on the floor, suggestive of a seating arrangement, and Kaoru watched as Yahiko plopped down cross-legged on one of them. Smiling in amusement, Kaoru sat as well.

"Is this where you stay, Yahiko?"

Dark eyes searched hers like he had done before, as if he were weighing her. Then he shrugged, his eyes glancing away. Curling her fingers together, Kaoru frowned at the chill that seeped under her clothes, her shoulders pulling in.

"It's so cold in here. I hope you sleep somewhere warmer. You could get sick."

A furrow developed between his eyebrows, and he scratched at his leg. To Kaoru, it seemed an uncomfortable action, and her frown deepened as she pushed ahead. "Especially since you're barefooted. Don't you have any shoes to wear?"

The furrow deepened, his eyes holding a touch of irritation, but he shook his head. Worrying her lip, hoping she had not angered the boy by being so inquisitive, Kaoru reached hesitantly forward to brush a hair out of his eyes. He jerked slightly, dark pupils dilating, and a dangerous wariness entered his gaze, reminding her of a wounded animal. Reminding her slightly of how Kenshin acted at times. Lip trembling, she pulled her hand back, holding it out in offering as she would for a stray dog. Dark irises lightened far enough to include curiosity and she smiled in reassurance.

Unconsciously a song hummed under her breath, a wish from her heart to soothe and comfort. To heal and show love. Purity soaked the notes, tranquility weighed down his eyelids, and safety swayed him where he sat. Scooting closer, unaware of her use of magic, Kaoru wrapped an arm around his shoulders and dug out a handkerchief from her sleeve. Gently, her voice drugging his senses, she wiped at the grime on his face, removing enough of the layers to see the pale skin beneath, a small smudge of color amidst the dirt.

"There you are." Melody stilling, her voice smiled. "How long have you been hiding under there, I wonder?"

Dark lashes blinked blearily, as if awakening from a dream, and Kaoru cuddled him closer against her. Wanting to protect the poor child from himself. "I think a hot bath is in order first. Then we'll find you some more comfortable clothes to wear. Will you let me trim your hair? This style suits you, but it's been neglected for so long."

Sluggish in the aftereffects, Yahiko leaned helplessly against her, dizzy with a spiral of emotions. Most centered around safety and peace. Feelings he had never before experienced. Almost ready to let his eyelids fall closed, to sleep and dream of happiness as he had never witnessed, her words broke through his reverie as her magic ended. Suspicion and anger rose in his mind, irritated that she would be so bold as to use such tricks on him. Pushing against her violently, he jumped to his feet, his teeth baring menacingly, a hiss building and choking in his mute throat. Fire and magic burned in his irises, showing a power he was incapable of using and he stared down the woman kneeling on the floor. But there was no fear of him in her eyes, only a confusion and a building worry.

"What's wrong? What did I say?" A slim hand reached for him, but he batted it away before her intentions became clear. Darting to the door, he slipped out into the hallway and disappeared.

x

Misao stared up into the ice blue eyes of her rescuer, both scared and exhilarated by his presence.

"My Lord Aoshi."

Loudly her heart pumped in her ears, adrenaline strengthening the cadence and quickening her breath. The immediate pull of attraction was like a second nature to her, the proximity of such a strong male syren calling to her blood fiercely. As beautiful as a human could be, they could not compare to the attentions of a true syren. And the stronger their magic, the stronger their desirability.

Which was why she had run from him in the first place.

"Misao." The acknowledgement was all the warning she received. Gasping when one hand fisted into the front of her shirt and vest, her eyes narrowed as he lifted her light weight and slammed her roughly against the tree behind her. "Do you realize the trouble you have put me through?"

"I was not aware I was worth any trouble." Voice even and angry, she stared into his cold eyes without an ounce of the fear that was twitching her muscles.

A growl ripped from his throat, his face pressing closer until her whole world narrowed to include only him. "Do not test me, caritis dominici. I am in no mood. If you were not my master's granddaughter, I might be inclined to claim your life as well."

A sharp ring echoed through the quiet and both syrens turned hard eyes to the two humans in their midst. Where Kenshin had a hand on the hilt of his sheathed katana, his golden eyes alight with warning, Misao lifted a brow at finding it was Saito's blade that was bared at the ready.

"I'm afraid that would be an unwise decision. The girl is with us."

"Stay out of th…!"

"You would challenge me then, human? Be aware I have no qualms with killing you to take my prize home." Saito's chin lifted, prompting an angry sneer to form on the syren's lips. "Maybe I should kill you merely for being impertinent."

"Would you two stay out this!" Hissing in irritation, Misao waved a hand at them to go away before turning back to Aoshi. "And who says I'm going anywhere with you?"

"Would you run again, little mistress?"

"Run?" Laughing, the petite syren let her chin drop, her eyes heavy as she stared sensually up through her long lashes. "I don't even have to walk to get away from you." Misao watched in amusement as his eyes narrowed suspiciously before she pushed a hand into his chest and disappeared into the shadows of the tree.

The two humans looked on in astonishment as the small woman seemed to slide into the darkness. The solid bark of the tree she was pressed against softening into a pliant substance and allowing her passage with the quiet echoes of a nearly inaudible rhythm. For a moment the new intruder almost lost his balance, his hand gripping air, his face deepening into rage. That moment passed and his leg muscles gathered, flinging him at the barrier and through it after her. Left alone in the cluster of trees, Kenshin and Saito stared at the spot they had both vanished into.

Snorting, Saito pulled out a roll of tobacco and lit the end with a flick of his finger. Small magic that only the most privileged could learn. "That would have been helpful earlier today."

Sighing Kenshin released the hilt of his long sword and massaged at his shoulder muscles. Misao's healing magic had not been the greatest to endure. _Nothing like Kaoru._ Face twitching with the thought, he twisted away to the packs they had dropped a few feet back. "It may have limitations."

"She could have left us to die." Letting out a puff of smoke, Saito fitted the butt between his lips and bent to pick up his own supplies. "Would have been a hell of a lot easier for her."

"Maybe." Throwing his pack and the woman's over his good shoulder, Kenshin cast another glance behind them, indecisive. He needed that woman to look for his wife, but he was also aware that he could do nothing at this moment to find her. He only had to hope she would stay true to her word and come back. Adjusting the weight on his back, he turned and walked in the opposite direction. "We should find a place to camp for the night. We've already lost several hours."

x

Misao flitted through the shadows of The Lockwood, laughing and giggling as if she were one of the nymphs of the forest. In this kind of game she never lost, because this magic was her own.

With her sharp nose and quick wits, she was able to distinguish the finest trace of magic and name them without hesitation. She could pick up abandoned trails that were half a century old and follow them to the very end, or at the least catch up. She had even discovered new magic from lands far away, pulling them apart until she knew their make-up down to the smallest detail of casting. Her only downfall was in her inability to use most of them with her limited amount of power. So as with any smaller warrior in a ring, she used her limitations to her advantage, and exploited her strengths without pause.

"You'll never catch me, dominus. You are not accustomed to the dark as I am." For a moment she felt his hand on her back and she slipped playfully away. "Nice try, Lord Aoshi, but I am not caught so easily."

Fatigue was forgotten for a few short hours, her mind reveling in freedom and the enjoyment of an old playmate. Dancing through suppressed memories, she could see herself, young and carefree, tracking her first prey in innocence. "_Lord Aoshi… come play with me today." _ And he would smile, kindly, in a way that was not meant to grace a syren's face. She had adored him, and he had let her. Had even been the first to touch her when she was old enough. To teach her pleasure and how to give it back. But a syren's heart was meant to be free, and when that first tug of jealousy had ripped at her soul… she knew she had to get away. To leave or she would be consumed by it. Just like her mother had.

Distracted, her feet slowed, her head bowing as her brow twitched mutinously. The thought still hurt, and frightened. She did not want to be taken by madness. She did not want to become a slave.

Abruptly her body jerked forward, slamming her harshly into the ground face first. "You let down your guard, amor." Nose pressed into the dirt, she grit her teeth, her eyes clenching shut. "I was sure our master taught you better than that."

"Get off of me."

"No, little mistress, I am tired of chasing you." Roughly his hands twisted her arms up above her head, flattening his body closer against her. "For thirty long years you have alluded me, I have no more patience for your games." The heat of his breath and the deep timber of his voice pooled blood into her veins where they throbbed and ached. And Misao hated herself for it. Growling angrily in the back of her throat, she tried to wrestle herself out of his grip, her teeth snapping over her shoulder.

"I did not want you to follow me! You should have just left me alone! I will not go with you willingly."

"Whether willing or not, you will go back. Your grandfather demanded it."

An old curse spit from her mouth, hissing and clicking her teeth together as only a syren could. "Do not lie to me, dominus! I am well aware that my grandfather has been dead for a long time now!"

Strong muscles stilled, freezing at her words. Then in one sharp motion he flipped her, both hands fisting into her tunic as he straddled her hips. "And you did not return to help lead his soul into the next life? Without your voice he may very well be lost." Violently he shook her, his eyes disbelieving. "You were his only remaining family."

One rare tear, pure and glistening, dropped from a dark lash, trailing slow and smooth down her flawless cheek. "I-I have sang for him… every night…" Lightly her body was lowered back to the ground, his hands releasing her.

"My little syren…forgive me… your grandfather has surely passed on in peace. Do not fear his journey." Carefully, his body arched above her smaller form, he caught the miniature tear on the tip of one long finger. Bringing the salty drop to his lips, he savored the flavor of emotions that burst in his mouth. There was more magic held in that one drop than the woman could normally cast in a moon cycle. Fire and water clashing within him, a small piece of her soul flaring briefly, he shivered as his body flushed with power. Eager to taste more of the same, he bent to follow the trail of moisture on her cheek with his tongue. "You should not waste such energy, Mi-amor. You are already exhausted."

Misao trembled and turned her face away, her breath catching. It was customary for a syren to give her tear to another if they were present to witness it. As solitary and cold as their race could be, regular tears were nearly unheard of, and they were usually only for direct family. The amount of grief it took to produce such a tear gave the bead of moisture life, and a large amount of power. To present it to another was an acknowledgement that they had been close to that painful situation as well. Unless, of course, that syren was already taken.

It was also customary for that syren, whether of the same sex or not, to share it with the bearer. Mainly because of the strain it could place on their body. Some, if they were exhausted enough like she, were actually known to die.

Delicately two fingers gripped her chin, urging her to look at him, but she stubbornly shook them away. If he were to share such a thing with her, she would be lost. She could not allow that. "Misao… let me." Desperately she tried to twist away from him. She could not lose this battle. "Mulish woman, do you wish to kill yourself?"

Strong fingers dug into the hair at the base of her neck, forcing her chin up, and as his lips planted themselves securely over hers, she could only think, _Yes._ Death was better than what this would lead to.

Life surged within her at the joining of their lips, a mixing of their power, and her whole body glowed with its radiance. She felt rejuvenated, revived from a long slumber, and almost giddy with strength. Lights swirled behind her eyes, magic of all colors and intensity soaking into the wellspring of her life. Briefly she wondered how something so sorrowful could bring about such euphoria.

The thought was not to be pondered, however, as her mind wrenched back to reality with the trailing of his hand to the collar of her shirt. He was feeling these sensations as well, and a small part of her remembered that more than likely such occasions would end in a more intimate joining of bodies. Half of her rejoiced in the knowledge, eager and demanding that he take whatever he wanted. Longing for his touch once more. Her other half recoiled, fighting the notion tooth and claw. For the sake of survival, her latter half won.

Pushing hard against his chest she gained enough ground to break their lips apart. "Stop, Aoshi… no more." Lazy lids parted, revealing the darkness of desire in his irises, and her resolve wavered.

"What is it, my little lover? Are you afraid my skills have rusted?" His lips dropped to her throat, his fangs a sharp prickle against her skin. "Rest assured, beloved, I remember exactly how you like to be touched." Meaningfully his hand curved over her breast, cupping her through her clothes, and a soft moan lifted from her vocal cords. The sound was melodic, unwittingly coaxing; building his longing higher. Catching him securely in her syren call.

"I…" Slowly his body shifted, one leg slipping between her knees to press warm and firm against the aching throb at the apex of her thighs. "…aah…" Wasting no time, his hand moved to the tie of her corset like vest, stripping the knot away and yanking the tight leather apart. "…no more… amabo te…" Thin lips returned to hers, muffling her words into indistinct sounds, tangling her tongue with his skillfully. _You will be lost… you will be hurt…_ Insistently his hand pushed her thighs further apart, making room for him to settle all of his weight between her legs. _Just like mother._

Screaming in desperation, she pushed with her voice as well as her muscles, throwing him back to separate their bodies and give her room to breathe. Unfortunately, she miscalculated his ability to plan for such countermeasures, and she grimaced in pain when her head was yanked forward with him. Baring her teeth, she hissed at finding the length of her braid wrapped several times around the palm of his hand.

But his anger was a match for hers, the fire in his eyes meant to intimidate. Drunk on the power of their sharing, his irises shifted with magic. Black wings lifted from his hair to snap open in authority, and his facial features contorted as he snarled. "I will not be denied!"

"And I will not be forced!"

An incredulous huff of air escaped him, and his snarl slid into a dark frown. "You have never minded my touch before."

"I was a naïve child before!" Anger smoldering to ash, her eyes dropped from his, suddenly tired. "Because I thought I could trust you before."

The grip on her braid loosened, its length tumbling back into her waist. "Trust…? Is that why you left?" His voice was full of insight and once again his fingers touched her chin, but she jerked away.

"Don't touch me." Smacking his hand to the side she stood to her feet, her voice disgusted. "You stink of human women." Walking back into the forest, she slipped into the shadows, and became as one with the dark.

x

Kaoru sighed wearily as she left her studies for the evening, her head aching more than ever before. Her mother was becoming rather insistent on her improving, and while Kaoru was trying to keep up because of her own motives, the strain was beginning to wear on her. What with her history lessons, vocal lessons, language lessons, and casting lessons she did not think there was much more she could fit in her brain. And there was so much more inside each subject. For casting covered all of the magic, from simple spells of sleep and harmony, to monstrous melodies that could take years to memorize.

On top of it all, her headaches were getting worse. No matter what she did she could not ease the pain. She had even tried a healing on herself, which she had been scolded for since she'd ended up having to stay bedridden for a few days. Healing oneself took more energy than to heal another. Her mother had assured her that the headaches were normal, and would pass in due time, but Kaoru could find no comfort in her words. Sometimes she felt as if her eyes would bleed.

And then there was Yahiko. Her little brother. She had not spoken with him since that day they had met, over four weeks ago, and she was starting to worry. Was there something that she did wrong? Did he not like her? Was there something more that she still needed to do to gain his trust?

Yawning and stretching, Kaoru directed her feet into parts of the castle that were less used. Just like any other day, she would spend the last few hours searching. She wasn't entirely sure what had happened on that day to upset the boy, but she did know that she really wanted the chance to befriend him. He was her little brother after all, and she wanted to be able to protect him like an older sister should.

Walking the corridors, her soft shoes shuffling across the stone, she gazed around, memorizing every twist and turn, every dead end and what was behind each door. It helped her to remember which way she had already searched, and by now she actually had a pretty good layout of the castle. There were several floors, the lower ones mainly uninhabited, and the further down she went, the colder it became. Today she did not think she would go too terribly far, she wasn't wearing anything warm and she was plenty exhausted from her studies and the solo work she had to accomplish before bed.

Peeking around a corner, she thought about how sometimes she would see dark eyes looking back at her, curious but still wary. By now she wondered if he knew what she was up to in the evenings, and in the back of her mind she hoped that if she kept at it, he would eventually come to her of his own will. Though many nights were known to pass without even a glimpse of him, and that was when she started to feel anxious. Wondering what it was that made him avoid her.

Many times she would call out to him, hurrying forward to catch him as he ran off around the corner, but he was never there when she finally arrived. Her mother seemed concerned when she spoke of their encounter, saddened that he would not let himself trust even his sister. But she never came and looked with her, and Kaoru wondered if her mother wasn't numbed to the boy. For as long as he had run around without care, scorning his mother, Kaoru figured Yumi didn't want to think about it.

Wandering almost aimlessly, her thoughts scattered and dazed with melodies and half formed compositions, Kaoru opened up a door and absently scanned the interior. Not expecting anything, she shut the door, and lifted her eyes to continue her way. Then froze, her blue irises caught in deep black.

Biting her lip, she forced herself to stand her ground, to move neither forward nor backward. Her movements always seemed to prompt his. "Hello, Yahiko. Are… you taking a stroll of the castle as well?"

His eyes stared into her, as intent and heavy as always, and for the first time she felt she was being tested. Chewing her lip more insistently, she nodded her head minimally before taking a step forward. Making sure she was walking along the opposite side he was standing on, she smiled at him and gestured carefully.

"Well, if you want to join me I won't mind, but I understand if you're busy." She was halfway to him and he still hadn't moved. _So far so good._ Pretending to ignore him, she smiled one last time and moved to walk passed him, stopping in the intersection at the end of the hall and looking both ways to see which way was the more desirable choice.

Smoothly, small fingers slipped around hers, gripping her hand comfortably in answer to her offer. Smiling down at his figure, her grin widened when his head jerked to the side, suggestive of her next destination.

"That way, huh? But I'm sure it only leads to a dead end." She looked to him again questioningly, and frowned when he shook his head. Gently he tugged on her hand and she took a hesitant step after him. "If that's where you want to go." Still unsure, she followed his urging, anxious over his allowance near him and yet unwilling to disagree with his choice for fear of scaring him off again.

At the end of the hall the wall abruptly cut off, only a door to their right giving any semblance of an exit besides the way they had come. That room only contained cleaning supplies. Many of them dusty and no longer in use. Looking down to Yahiko, she shrugged her shoulders and moved to turn back, but stumbled when his hand yanked insistently against hers.

"What is it, Yahiko?" Bracing herself on the wall to regain her balance, she looked to the boy questioningly, unsure of why he had wanted to come down that way in the first place. Waiting expectantly, she watched curiously as one arm lifted to point at the wall she was braced against, one finger indicating a rock just a few inches from her. It was a strange piece of stone and the longer Kaoru stared the more intricate the detail came to life before her eyes. And it was teaming with magic, a dormant kind that only needed activated with the right spell to come to life. "What is it?" she repeated.

When her eyes swung back to Yahiko he was actually smiling, a secretive and rather roguish look. Body stretching up to his tiptoes, he touched his finger to the very bottom corner of the stone and pushed, a spark zipping off the edge of his nail. A soft clank could be heard from within the wall, a whirl like gears spinning, and then the solid barrier before them abruptly dropped into the floor, leaving a hidden passageway for them to cross through.

"Wow." Whispering her awe, Kaoru searched the dark interior for long seconds in wonder before tilting her head back to her brother. "That was cool." His smile was even larger than before, apparently satisfied with her reaction. Slipping his hand back in hers, he led her quickly into the opening, his fist banging against a portion of the inner wall as he went, and Kaoru only had enough time to react to the loud bang behind them before they were shrouded in darkness.

The thick gloom did not seem to bother Yahiko, though, as he led her just as quickly and assuredly through the tunnels as he had through the lit corridors of the rest of the castle. Blindly trusting his directions, Kaoru tried to keep up as best she could, one hand twisted around her skirt to bring it away from her speeding feet. Long minutes passed without their headlong dash letting up, and Kaoru was beginning to feel the strain on her body from that day's training. At least the cool darkness was a slight relief for her headache.

Around another bend and Kaoru's sapphire irises found release from the darkness with the dimness of a torch. As they speed closer to its warming light, Kaoru began to make out the features surrounding them. Cool rock, smoothed away, constituted the walls, ceiling, and floor of their corridor, and as they passed several other side branches, Kaoru realized how extensive the secret tunnels must be. Perhaps not just the inner walls of the castle itself, but even farther.

Without much time to contemplate the entire truth of her thoughts, Kaoru was soon pushed through into the full circle of light, a large room spreading out before her. It was slightly dank and humid, but at the least there were many blankets and old rugs scattered about the floor. Pillows of all shapes and sizes were strewn atop these covers, converging against one wall with a hollowed relief about the size of Yahiko at its center. There was no set place for a hearth, and Kaoru realized it would not truly matter as there was no cavity in the ceiling to take away the smoke that would be produced. It saddened her, especially since she was beginning to understand that this was where the boy lived. At least he had enough blankets to pile atop his body when he wanted to sleep.

"I had no idea that such a place existed within the castle." Casting her eyes around the room a second time, Kaoru smiled down at Yahiko's face. "This is a lot better than that cold room you brought me to the other day."

And there were so many books. More so than the library she studied in. Some held scorch marks, others had no covers at all, but they were all stacked neatly against the wall opposite his makeshift bed. Making her way slowly toward them, she randomly chose one on top and opened its soggy cover. It was old, and the dialect was strange, but after haltingly translating a few words she found herself with an ancient herbal encyclopedia.

"Wow, Yahiko. Where did you find all of these?" His shoulders shrugged nonchalantly when she looked up, but he moved closer to peer curiously over her arm. Picking up another with her free hand, she sounded out the still strange language of the syrens that was engraved on its cover. "These would probably be a wonderful help to my education. Does Mother know about them?"

Abruptly the two books were torn from her grasp, his arms holding them protectively to his chest, and his dirty head shook hard. Eyes widening at his denial, Kaoru tilted her head to the side as she frowned. "Does that mean Mother isn't aware of them?" An affirmative reply was what she received this time, and she worried her lip at his still defensive stance. With as much information as she had about him, he did not like their mother. For whatever reason, he did not want anything to do with her. Yumi, it seemed, had grown accustomed to his enmity, but Kaoru did not want the boy to continue to live alone. And now that he was letting her get close, she wanted to do everything she could to keep it that way. Even if that meant withholding certain knowledge from her mother.

"Do you not wish for Mother to know of them?" Quiet enveloped the air, and Yahiko's form relaxed slightly, his dark eyes blinking. Then another shake of his head. "Ok." His jaw clenched and one hand fisted in the sleeve of her dress, before he sat down the two books and gestured at the rest of the room. "Nor about any of it?" His lips twitched as he nodded and Kaoru smiled before ruffling his hair. "Very well, little brother. I promise not to speak a word about any of the places we go, or about anything we shall talk of." She giggled, and leaned forward conspiratorially. "What Mother doesn't know, won't hurt her."

"So." Standing, she clasp her hands in front of her. "What shall we do now?"

Surprisingly his features turned sheepish, and Kaoru lifted an eyebrow at the strange expression next to his normal confidence. His shoulders shrugged and he stared at his feet as they shuffled. Looking around for something to direct them, Kaoru faced the stacks of books. "Have you read them all?" Voice dropping to a whisper, she grinned teasingly. "Do they hold the secrets of the universe?" He hesitated, then shook his head, not looking up. "Just a few then?" Again a shake of his head. Frowning, Kaoru lifted a beginners book from another pile. "But surely you wouldn't save them all for nothing. Why haven't you tried to read any of…?" Looking up sharply Kaoru studied his slumped figure, her mouth opened and eyes crumpled in sympathy. "You can't read, can you?"

Dark eyes peeked up at her through the curtain of his ratty hair, and she saw a touch of shame in them. Frown deepening at his embarrassment, she turned back to the pile and picked out a couple more books before tucking them under her arm. Placing a gentle hand between his shoulder blades, she led him silently over to a large cushion and handed him the volumes before settling down. "Now is as good a time as any to learn, don't you think so, Yahiko?" He stared at her uncertainly, hope and wariness present in his gaze. Smiling harmlessly, Kaoru patted the seat next to her invitingly. "We will start with the common tongue first, and then we will branch into our language. You are still a syren, after all." Taking the tomes from him as he situated himself, Kaoru pulled a lock of his hair playfully. "We can learn that one together."

x

Misao huffed out a breath of annoyance as she trudged on with the two humans in front of her. They had been traveling for three months now and the dark forest of the Lockwood did not seem interested in giving them up. She knew that the forest held magic, and that as a creature bound to the earth she was only a toy for which that magic to play with. But the longer they were in its grasp the angrier she was likely to become. What difference did it make to her if the damnable trees did not think her party ready to find the exit? It's opinion held no sway over her, and the day a piece of foliage decided her fate was the day she gave her life up and became one.

A touch tickled her senses and she huffed again, growling under her breath in warning. The touch receded, chastised, and she ducked into herself when the two in front of her cast curious glances over their shoulders. Glaring back at them, the wolf's features twisting into amusement as the other chose to ignore her threat, she tightened her grip on the strap of her pack. If she didn't like men so much she was tempted to swear off the whole lot of them.

Misao was fully aware of the shadow pacing steadily a few hundred meters back, his form just as tall and powerful as she remembered. He taunted her with his presence even as he stayed well away from their party; just another traveler heading in the same direction. She was perfectly content just to ignore him, to teach him how little she cared that he was near her. To show just how little she needed him. She knew she could eventually make herself forget him, but he was unwilling to let that happen. The way his magic brushed softly against her spoke of that.

Grinding her teeth when the touch reappeared, a hint of regret souring her taste buds, she twisted on one heel and screamed her frustration. "Go away you traitorous piece of scum! I don't want you!" Breathing heavily, his movements gone, she turned angrily to find her companions stopped as well. Saito's dark eyebrow was lifted, his expression sardonic, Himura was merely irritated at their continued delay. "What?" Snapping, she pushed her way in between them and stalked forward. "This is no time to rest!"

"For such an unattractive little thing, you sure have acquired quite a few interested followers."

"Jealous, human?" Biting back scornfully, she cringed when he laughed.

"I wouldn't care for the trouble any one woman would put me through. You can keep your charms. Just do not let them get in the way of our mission."

"What makes you so concerned anyway? She's not your wife."

"My interest lies in other business, woman."

"That tells me nothing."

"He is here on behalf of the emperor." Kenshin spoke up quietly, his voice level and full of distaste. "To make sure my wife is not a threat to his lands."

Narrowing blue-green eyes, Misao momentarily forgot about her own displeasure. "Does that mean the emperor of these lands wants your wife dead?"

"It is a possibility. Right, wolf?"

Frowning, Saito nodded. "If it comes to it, any threat must be eliminated."

"I'm surprised Himura hasn't killed you already." Rather defensive and resentful, Misao hissed at the taller man, earning a curious glance from them both. "If someone threatened my lover so openly they would not live to see dawn."

"Ironic. If I remember correctly your _lover_ was just killed the other night by another." Opening her mouth in indignation, Misao barely had time to squeak a reply before he was talking over her. "Well anyway, unlike you, little syren, Himura does not fully run on emotion alone." Grinning when she growled, he adjusted his pack. "To put it for you simply, he needs me, because as long as he has me in sight, he will know exactly every move that I make. And it might so happen that I have more information about this situation than I have been letting on. Right, Battosai?"

"It seems my motives are understood then. But you would also do well not to forget that I will kill you, just as the Lady Misao suggests, if you even look at my wife wrong."

"What's this, a traitor to the crown? And you were once such a loyal subject."

"I did my time for this country." Stopping, Kenshin turned to Saito, his irises darkening past gold to something dangerous and foreign. "I no longer have any reason to fight for its safety or protection. Those vows were forfeited the moment I spoke them to the woman who bears a ring to match my own." Gesturing with his left hand for reference, he let it fall to rest on his katana threateningly. "And you had best believe I am willing to give my life to make sure she is safe."

"How noble of you. But I am sure you are aware that my position allows for nothing less. My vows are to this country, and her protection is more valuable to me than your selfish wish to save your wife."

Kenshin said no more, but Misao could feel the rage that was seething inside his soul. For a human, and one skilled in only a blade, he possessed much power and energy. Confused by this knowledge, she focused her entire attention onto his being, sniffing the air experimentally. The magic of his wife shielded much of his essence, blocking out her attention almost forcefully in its jealous protection. Beneath it, however, her senses picked out other, subtle scents. Earth, dark and gritty; blood, thick and sweet; and the hint of fire that burnt in smoldering decay. Before she could analyze much more about the man, however, her attention was once more distracted by the touch of the syren pacing several hundred meters behind them.

"Gods be damned! I said to leave me alone!" Rooting to the spot, her hands clenched and she screamed in annoyance.

x

It was nightfall again before they rested, Himura and the tall, intriguing man with the attitude dividing up the work to start a small camp. Misao found it interesting that they asked nothing of her, but though an arrogant part of her mind whispered that it was because she was beautiful; desirable; most of her consciousness knew the true reason. She had been acting like a deranged person all day.

Screaming at nothing, or so it seemed to them, and stomping her feet like a child in the midst of a tantrum, the young syren had probably convinced them that she wasn't capable of doing much at that point. She couldn't even keep her cool with a rejected lover who would not leave her be. Sulking, Misao dropped her own pack in the dirt without caring if it was in the way and turned off into the darkness that surrounded them. The two she traveled with did not spare her much of a glance, but she did not care what they thought. Misao needed some fresh air away from all men.

Stalking through the trees, indifferent to how far she strayed, Misao did not notice the way she was avoided. Nymphs and dryads hurrying from her path, eager to let the little syren that radiated irritation pass them by. Especially with the dark one that followed her steps with care. This was a race they feared, especially after the demonstration of power showed by one not too long before.

Fuming, she recounted the reasons she had left her home; remembering the emotions that had collected and mounted within her gut. No true feeling ever experienced inside her short period of life ripping her apart like she was some lowly human unable to control herself. It had frightened her, at how much she had come to depend on someone other than herself. Littered her dreams with nightmares and terror of how easily she had fallen prey to another. She was a syren. A noble race that prided itself on its restraint, its separation from the concerns of those around them. Perhaps selfish, but it was what kept them alive, and most often, everyone else.

With power came responsibility, and syrens held great power. It was given to them by their god, a great being of nature that was so old it was no longer remembered within the minds of humans. A being so ancient, it was said to be the father of many faerie races. He had loved their race the most, and in so doing bestowed upon them the sweetness of voice. To guide and protect his other children with songs and melodies.

However, their power was linked strongly to their emotions, and if the stability of their heart faltered, then so too did their magic. It was their one flaw, and in so finding, her ancestors had learned to lock away those emotions that generated hatred and sorrow. Sensations that were born from love and happiness and the company of others.

And so they lived alone, dividing themselves from their fellow syrens. Solitude their only companion. A curse they were destined to live with in order to keep the world around them safe.

Misao had known this long before she had fallen prey to the sickness that consumed her mother. A plague that burrowed deep within their cells and festered, eating away the strength of mind and body. But she had been young, and had thought herself invincible to this instability. She could never hurt another. Misao was good and innocent, and the man she loved gentle and kind.

Muscles quivering, she stopped in the midst of a small clearing. A rarity in the choking thickness of foliage from the Lockwood's embrace. Chin lowering into her chest, her fists clenched, bright irises closing to stare within. That had been a lie. She was not good, her heart held much hatred and evil intentions. There was no denying this. Not when the blood of more than one human stained the small span of her palms.

The pleasure of their demise had been sickeningly addictive. A wonderful release of emotions upon the creators of her wrath. When the deed had been done, however, her eyes had cleared, pushing aside the fog of vengeance and lifting the knowledge of her actions into the light. She had committed a crime. One against nature and the code of their race. Punishment was mandatory, and as her only living relative, her grandfather would have the right to demand that privilege.

Sighing heavily, Misao lifted large eyes to the star lightened sky. That was no longer a possibility. Her grandfather was dead, and the responsibility of her punishment was now within the right of whoever decided to judge her. Though it was not unheard of for a syren to kill, even though it was against their laws, many, because of their solidarity, were never put to judgment until their natural deaths and they met with the creator. Only those who were unlucky, or foolish, enough to throw themselves in such a situation as hers found themselves with their rightful punishment. Of course, the only one left able to dole out her retribution was the reason for the atrocity in the first place.

"I'm sorry Grandfather, for disgracing your family name."

Dark hair stirred by her temples, slipping and curling around the streamlined feathers that rose from their pure midst. Leveling straight and firm, bracketing either side of her head like a warrior's crown, they heightened the use of her magic; tangling and weaving with the song she sang.

For forgiveness; for sorrow; for regret that her life had taken such a turn. Praying, appealing to whatever spirit ruled the forest to not judge those she traveled with solely on the darkness of her soul. They all had duties to attend to, and she would repay her debts as best she could through them. And she would gladly pay her price when the afterlife claimed her, but not to let her stain ruin the peace of her grandfather.

Silence fell upon the surrounding trees, quieting the rustling of leaves and the buzz of insects, until all that remained was the heartbreaking beauty placed carefully into each note. Moonlight breaking over the treetops flooded the small clearing with light, reflecting glances of rich green highlights and the silver glow of porcelain skin. A surreal mysticism of a creature too flawless to be real.

Feeling the pull and strength of emotions find release inside her voice, Misao closed her eyes and poured her entire being into the tune. Closing herself off from all outside concerns and disturbances. Finding peace and tranquility in this type of meditation, she trembled at the warmth that surrounded and comforted her. Was this truly the grace of a celestial being, soothing her instability and helping to lead her back to that sweet innocence that Misao once was? Were her transgressions being forgiven? Was she no longer held in contempt?

Smiling, she felt a bud of happiness as she had not for many years. Giving in to the sensation, she embraced the heat, seeing in her mind's eye the grinning image of her grandfather, approving and finding peace. Eyes fluttering open, her song ending softly, her consciousness floated back into reality slowly, blinking at the dark spread of silk under her cheek.

Gasping in a breath, she released the cloth wrapped in her fingers and pushed, dislodging herself from the strong arms curled around her shoulders. Blue irises, the color of sea, looked down upon her, missing much of their haughty arrogance from before. Now they showed nothing more than a regret to match her own.

"I thought I told you to leave me be."

"And how, domina, do you expect me to walk away from you now?"

"If it is justice that you wish for than you will just have to wait until my mission with the humans is completed. It is much more important than the salvation of my soul."

"Justice, little one? Is that why you think I am here?" He stepped toward her, his eyes narrowing, and she jumped back carefully when his hand reached.

"Why else would Grandfather order you after me? If it was merely to bring me back he would have sent someone of lesser worth." Teeth baring as she spit, Misao ducked inward like a cornered animal. "You, however, would have been the only choice left to him if he himself could not come to find me. You are the only one with enough authority to carry out my punishment."

Sighing, Aoshi looked away. "You are right, domina. I was left with the great responsibility of salvaging the pieces of your soul that have not been tainted by your impurity of action." Before he had even finished turning his head back to meet her gaze, the length of his sword was drawn clean and leveled in the space between them. "With the blessings of your grandfather, my master, this blade has been purified. Made ready to pierce your heart and cleanse your soul of all contraventions. If you willingly accept the price, your soul will be forgiven, your passage into the next life paid. If you refuse, you damn yourself and the name you bear."

Straightened to her full height, her chin lifted, her features emotionless, the smaller syren did not back down. Nor, he realized, was she accepting. Tense muscles giving way, the arm stretched outward dropped back to his side, glinting steel swinging slightly with the motion. "This, I was told, was what your grandfather should have given me as his last request. But he, unlike many of our race, was not so indifferent to the inconsistencies in our politics. He, domina, found no sense in taking away a life before it has the chance to feel remorse for the actions taken against another. He wanted you to learn and grow." Flipping the hilt in his hand, he brought up the blade into the sheath at his back.

Lowering her guard, aquamarine irises looked away. "Then… what is it that you want?" Disbelief rising within her mind, she frowned, her eyes shooting back to his. "Why have you been following me if there is no reason?"

There was only a second of pause before her answered softly. "Amor… amor infinitus."

"You lie!" Features twisting, Misao took a menacing step forward. "How dare you speak such filth to my face! Do I look like the same naïve child you led around so easily all those years ago? Do you think I will fall for the same deceitful words that slide off your tongue like honeyed wine? I am not a child! I have experienced more than you could ever imagine!" Swiping a hand through the air, her wings jerking in agitation, she closed the distance between them. "I am not so ignorant and trusting as those women you seduced with sweet words of love and adoration! I am a syren! A being incapable of becoming prey to the whims of others! Others fall prey to me!" Tapping her fingers into her chest meaningfully, her voice a low growl, the irises of her eyes shifted and turned. Teaming with magic untamed and wild. Speaking of a power not yet unleashed and disciplined within her body.

Aoshi did not move to react to her outbreak, his features impassive and cool. Several seconds of silence stood between them, a heavy oppressiveness that even the wind dared not disturb. Then he blinked as if newly awoken from slumber. "You feel… nothing in return?"

Misao laughed. A cynical noise that ripped deep at her throat. "Don't mistake my meanings, dominus. I feel plenty towards you."

"And?" Slowly his lashes fell, covering ice blue eyes as he waited. "What is it that you feel?"

"_Dolor_…" Voice low and shaky, she swallowed over the word. "…que _odium_."

"I suppose that cannot be helped." As if speaking of the actions of a child, his voice whispered wearily. Raging in her indignity, she whipped around to the darkness enveloping one side of their glade like a dark crescent moon. Reaching a more sinister shadow hiding slyly behind a large tree, she narrowed her eyes over her shoulder and hissed.

"Te vindicam." Satisfied when his eyelids widened, her lips twitched on a smile. "Audaciae tuae vindicam."

x

**Latin Glossary… continued**

**amor infinitus** - unlimited (infinite) love

**dolorque odium **- pain and hatred

**Te vindicam. **- I shall punish you.

**Audaciae tuae vindicam. **- I shall punish you for your audacity.

x

A/N: First and foremost sorry about the Latin, but I wanted to use a little as a substitute for the language that they use as syrens. I thought it would make their race seem a little bit more real and substantial. I promise not to use it so much that it makes it hard to read however, and I am hoping that since most western languages were derived from Latin, that it won't be that hard to catch the gist of some of the words and phrases. But, like I said, I won't be using so much that it will interfere with the story. Which is why I placed some of the words at the bottom of the chapter so that it is faster to get to and translate. I have to admit I couldn't help myself with that last sentence. It just seemed so much more menacing for Misao to spit something in their native language at her ex-lover.

Well, we got to find out a little bit more about Yahiko. Can't wait to reveal it all. XD Also get to see a bit more into Misao's past. This is what is going to make the next chapter fun.

I'm trying to steer away from Kenshin and Kaoru a little bit, and at the same time keep that feeling of their pain at being separated alive. Sorry, but it can't be helped at this point. If I do keep bringing it up, if will become rather stale and boring. Probably pathetic. But that's what side characters are for, right? Hope everyone still likes it.

Please review and tell me what you think. Thank you. Or I should say… gratias agere vobis.


	7. Fulton

Sorry it took so long. Special thanks to _Yume Mikage _and _silent canary _for encouraging me even after it seemed I had given up on it completely. This chapter is for you. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: The town, forest, and kingdom are mine, as well as some of the people, but none of the RK.

x

"It's a thief in the night to come and grab you.

It can creep up inside you and consume you.

A disease of the mind it can control you.

I. Feel. Like. A. Monster."

_Disturbia_ - Rihanna

x

Chapter 6: Fulton

Groaning, Kaoru stretched her arms high above her head, tweaking each muscle with satisfying determination. Scrunching her nose, she yawned and scratched absently at the hair above her ears. While the pain had not lessened, she was used to the constant headaches, and was finding herself instead distracted by the persistent itching of her scalp. Now, she caught herself trying to dig at the area with a frightening single-minded obsession. Her mother scolded that she would tear into skin if she didn't stop the habit soon.

Curling her fists and sighing, she dropped her arms to her lap and onto the book she was studying. It was full of notations that were hard to decipher, but with another journal open and carrying her own scribbled notes she would not have to struggle with them more than once. They were well worth the effort, as she was learning more than what Erthel would preach to her at lessons, and as a plus they would sometimes explain to her what Erthel had tried and failed to. After the passed few weeks, her improvement had increased dramatically. Though she constantly thought of Yahiko's round-a-bout warning not to raise any suspicions by showing them her true powers.

If only to honor his wish for secrecy she would do as he asked. He was her little brother, and she found no harm in keeping her second education from her mother. Even if she were to learn of it, she doubted it would be that much of a problem. She was developing her skills, and that was, in fact, what her mother wanted from her, wasn't it? To help her become strong enough to destroy this horde of angry followers that took her father's ideas to heart. To save the countryside from their warmongering and stop their destruction of innocent people and lands. Surely there was no harm in bettering herself even more than what was originally wished.

Plopping her chin in one hand and bracing her elbow on her knee, Kaoru looked across to Yahiko's bent form crouched on one of the pillows in his secret room. He was much cleaner than he had been when she had first laid eyes on him. After convincing him of taking a bath, and scrubbing him herself until his skin was red and raw, he was no longer covered in years of grime. It was astonishing how handsome of a little boy he was. His skin was naturally darker than hers, his now trimmed hair still course and spiky, and with clean, well-fitted clothes he had an air of nobility that slightly startled his older sister at times. As if he had the right to look down on others. As if he were many years older than what he seemed.

Pursing her lips, Kaoru raised an eyebrow. She still wasn't quite sure how old he really was, but she had to assume he wasn't much older than possibly ten. A few years older than what she had originally guessed, but after she had taken it upon herself to watch over his well-being, he was beginning to lose the scrawniness she had mistaken for his age.

Dark irises, still intense and searching, still slightly wary of everything around him, looked up to catch her own; blinking as he silently questioned her scrutiny. Smiling, she shrugged and gestured at the pile of books and papers scattered around her sitting figure.

"My skull feels like it's going to crack." His lips twitched and her smile widened. "Want me to get us some food?"

His features turned thoughtful, crossing between doubt and unwillingness. Relaxing after a moment, he sighed, nodded, then held up one hand to stall her. Flashing a few hand gestures, he relayed his wish for a couple more minutes. Shrugging her shoulders again, she began carefully picking up after herself. Making sure she would be able to find her markings later.

Spending almost everyday with one another had intensified their bond as siblings, and while it was difficult at times to communicate, Kaoru had suggested using an alternate system to convey his wishes. It was still very much rudimentary for now, but basic needs and wants were easy enough to articulate with expressions and short hand signs. In the future she was hoping to work out a method that would allow him to speak to her fully with his hands alone.

Standing, she stretched again, popping her back and pointing her toes to work at indolent calf muscles. Walking over to where he was intently bent over what he had been working on all evening, she braced her hands on her knees, unwilling to sit back down now that she was up, and peeked around his bowed head. "Whatcha workin' on, little brother?"

He cast her a quick glance, before seemingly ignoring her, a quiet scratching sound reaching her ears as it had for the last few hours. She didn't question him when he did things on his own. Yahiko was a very independent young man, and she knew and respected the amount of time he had spent taking care of himself. Besides, everyone needed time to themselves, and as another syren she also knew the irritation that would come when that time was intruded upon.

A few more minutes passed, Kaoru's feet taking her around the room as she waited for him to finish, fingering the piles of books they still had yet to file through. Turning when a soft ruffling announced his movement, she smiled in return to his, quick stepping to see what he was holding out to show her.

Small and delicate, the sculpture in his hand glowed softly in the candlelight, and as Kaoru came closer she could make out the highlight of green that spoke of its origin. Leaning closer, her eyes wide in awe, she took in first the shape he had chosen; a perfectly depicted sea turtle. A second look showed the detail he had placed into the shell and head; the way its mouth opened slightly as if holding the small round link he had incorporated into its making; the tiny tail that curled, and the large front legs that would push against the water and propel it across the sea.

"It's so beautiful, Yahiko." Tilting her head, she glanced up to see pride light his face. "I didn't know you were so talented with this kind of stuff." Becoming embarrassed, he looked away and shrugged, closing his fingers before dropping his hand back to his side. "Well? Have you done many other of these? Where do you keep them? I want to see." Wondering if he had any secret hiding places, Kaoru darted her eyes around the enclosure.

Taking in a deep breath, Yahiko recaptured her attention, his fingers tapping his chest emphatically. "I don't understand." Repeating the action, he frowned, held up the piece of jewelry again, then spread his hand wide over his heart.

x

Relief briefly reflected a glancing shot of light onto the turmoil of Kenshin's soul as the trees around them finally parted. Across a large clearing, the field lined with growing vegetables and fenced areas for the small collection of livestock, was the only town, besides Winthrop, to plant itself so close to the forest. Fulton was small because of this, but not nearly as small as the village they had come from. As the only standing population of people this side of the Lockwood, it was a great place for travelers, and a haven for merchants. Imperial guards were rarely seen here, so it was also void of most fees and taxes normally had in the larger cities closer to the capital.

"Thanks be to the gods, we're free." Stretching her arms high above her head as if she had been made to crawl through the woods, Misao groaned in pleasure. "I thought we'd never get out of there."

Saitou lifted a brow, his lip sneering in a very disdainful way. "How convenient, if you ask me."

"Well nobody was." Sticking her tongue out at him in a childish move, she hunched her shoulders and continued on.

"Though he does have a point." Irritation pressed itself over the light, squashing the sensation into dust. "I will not tolerate any more delays. We have been counting on you to guide us, and what took me only days to cross on foot before has taken us three months."

"It's not my fault the place has a mind of its own!" Losing a grip on her already shortened patience, Misao yelled at the tense redhead. "You knew that before we tried to traverse the cursed trees, so you will not blame this on me!"

"Yes, and it seemed more than content to let us pass, but only after _you_ finally allowed that one to join us." Glancing over his shoulder at the tall syren now walking a mere three paces back, Saitou gave him a cold once over.

"And I'm sure it would have been just as happy to let us go if he'd went away like I told him to in the first place." Tossing her own hard glare over a shoulder, Misao wished her gaze alone would set him on fire. "So if it is anyone's fault it is yours, _Lord_ Aoshi."

"And yet if I were not here… neither, little mistress, would you be." His voice was cool and soft, grinding on her nerves even more with his careless attitude. As if the idiot was not following her around like a starving mutt chasing tail.

"I would have been just fine without your interference, _My Lord_, so if you are going to pretend it is my safety you are concerned for you may leave now."

"Mistress, if you are smart enough to recognize such pretenses, then please do not act ignorant of my answer to such a suggestion."

"Enough." Irritation becoming dominant within his mind, their incessant squabbling trying his nerves, Kenshin snapped. "If you, Lord Aoshi, are planning on traveling with us, then I will have to politely ask that you resolve this issue as soon as possible. If Lady Misao is distracted in even the least it may mean a delay that I will not find acceptable."

"Of course." A light sense of humor laced the words, and Aoshi gave a partial bow in acknowledgement. "That is exactly my intention, Master Himura. Perhaps you would like to appeal on my behalf?"

Amber irises almost burned at the underlying insult, holding his gaze long enough to see a touch of doubt shift the syren's eyes. Turning abruptly to Misao, her stance half-ducking away from him, Kenshin stated tensely. "If you do not come to a conclusion soon… I will make this decision for you."

"I-I understand."

Chuckling under his breath as the small red-head walked rigidly ahead, Saitou lit a cigarette. "His patience has grown even thinner."

Studying the man with more interest, Aoshi spoke half to himself and half to the other syren beside him. "Is he truly only human?"

"I've been wondering the same thing for three months." Muttering a grudging agreement, Misao stepped quickly away as if ashamed she had even spoken with him.

They garnered many stares as they entered the town, but were left mostly alone. There were not many travelers that came from The Lockwood, and even though the two syrens would appear human to any ignorant eye, their group had a suspicious air about them. Nothing they carried with them suggested intention of trade, and the short red-head that led the party down the main street was dressed strangely. Worse, his amber irises glared at anyone caught staring.

Having survived off of the bounty of the forest for so long, they took the time to restock their supplies as needed. As Kenshin wasn't in the mood to linger longer than necessary, the shopping was quick, and more than tense. Many of the vendors had second thoughts about selling to them, but money was money, and they were more than happy to jack up the prices higher than was normal.

By the time they made their way to an inn for the evening, Saitou was grumbling under his breath. He did not appreciate the way the people of Fulton were taking advantage of their location, and seemed to think a restriction needed to be placed upon their goods.

Uncaring of such domestic problems, Kenshin turned on Misao to interrupt his growling. "Do you sense her anywhere?"

Misao looked startled for a moment, then cast her eyes to the left and right, directing her senses in all directions to search for any clue. There were many smells around them, but much of them were small and insignificant and did not contain that sweet essence of syren magic. There was a faint aroma of gnome, but it could have very well come from the fields outside of town. Looking back to Kenshin, she shook her head, almost afraid of his reaction. He merely nodded, however, and disappeared inside the building before them.

It was late in the day as they were led to their separate rooms and allowed to relax and refresh themselves before finding their way back down to the bar area for dinner. Kenshin was not in a mood to socialize and soon disappeared upstairs after eating. Saitou left shortly afterward, marching his way outdoors to smoke and do what he had been trained to do best. Which left Misao in a very awkward situation she did not appreciate.

As night set fully in, the dining area turned into a place of entertainment and drinking, the boarders either gone to bed or staying up to celebrate for one reason or another. Local farmers and merchants joined in as the evening progressed, and soon the quiet inn became a raucous party with singing, dancing, and plenty of gambling. Though the festive atmosphere was pleasant for Misao, and on any other night she would have enjoyed it with abandon, the discomfort that was working on her would not be ignored. Not with the way the man sitting across the table from her was attracting so much attention from the barmaids.

Aoshi was everything a male syren should be. Beautifully handsome, elegant, even slightly delicate in his features, but strong and confident, mysterious in his aloof attitude. His jet black hair contrasted with his pale skin, the cool blue of his irises at once captivating and piercing, his stature tall and though not slim or bulky, he gave an air of power. He stood out among the plain and ordinary people around them, and every woman in the inn was noticing.

Not, Misao assured herself, that she cared one lick what he was bound to do with any one, or even all, of the flirting little hussies. It was merely nauseating to watch their simpering and how they would sigh at every one of his movements. One or two even threw a challenging look her way, their eyes shooting daggers at her proximity to the object of their desire. Rolling her eyes, and crossing her arms back behind her head, Misao leaned back in her chair, her body stretching to show off her lithe form and the curvature of her modest breasts. Though not much to compare to the more voluptuous figures of the barmaids, with their dresses loosened and their cleavage in plain view, Misao knew from experience that the move would catch attention.

While the young lord across from her was a prime male of their species, Misao herself was just as much a syren, and just as desirable. Her outfit was not as pleasing as some others she owned, and was more than just practical, but it was fitting, hugging her in places that were suggestive. With a pixy-like bone structure and large warm eyes she exuded an otherworldly beauty; a charm that placed her in a league above the simple women that performed their jobs day after day. Such a woman was not seen in parts such as these, and it was that untouchable quality that made everyone want her. To have something incapable of being had. Men were always wishing to conquer that which they envied.

One of the more bold servers plopped herself down in Aoshi's lap, feigning surprise at the fall and wrapping her arms around his neck as if to brace herself. She giggled coyly, her mouth pressing against his ear and Misao felt something deep within her twist hideously at the imagined words of invitation. Aoshi's face stayed passive, no matter what the action around him, and even as the woman's hand smoothed down his shirt and to his stomach his downcast eyes did not move. A solid lump slid up into Misao's throat, a rage beginning to burn within her, but before she could realize the strength of her own reaction she was saved from herself with the appearance of another.

Obviously of merchant origin, as he did not have the smell of earth and sweat about him, the man slipped a hip up onto the table beside her, blocking her view of the affair on the other side. His smile was confident, if not a little arrogant, and Misao decided he must be from a different town, probably the capital with that kind of attitude. He was handsome, his scent a little nauseating, but much more pleasing than stale alcohol and tobacco smoke, and though he was slightly scrawny he held himself with poise and grace. Misao smiled back… he was the type that enjoyed getting his way. _You might just be getting more than you bargained for tonight._

"You seem to be out of place in this rustic town, Lady. I feel it only fair to warn you… you make the other woman jealous with your refined beauty."

Misao settled her chair back on all four legs, standing to her full height slowly as she lightly leaned into him. Shorter than most, she came only to his chest, but it only gave her more reason to place a small hand against his ribs. "Perhaps you want to even the score and make the men in the room jealous as well?"

Self-assured green eyes widened at her straightforwardness, stunned that his conquest was so easily won. Misao giggled at his hesitance, turning her head to the side to hide her amusement, before lifting her chin and pouting out a full bottom lip in mock annoyance. "If you're uninterested in pleasing me, then don't waste my time. There are others I can try." His lips opened and closed, stammering as he tried to untie his tongue. Sliding her hand up to his neck, she played with the shoulder length strands of his blonde hair. "An unfortunate decision. I was sure when I saw you that you were schooled in the art of flesh. I was eager to find out just how you would touch me." As she moved to pull away, her wrist was caught in his and she smothered a laugh of triumph.

"I have secured the best room in the house, my lady. Perhaps you would like to enjoy its comforts first hand?"

"Oh, more than anything."

Following her companion to the stairs, Misao cast a quick look over her shoulder, content to find those ice blue eyes finally lifted from their lifeless stare.

Perhaps it had been his intention to seduce her with wine and pretty words of adoration, but Misao was in no mood to play the game. There was something burning hot and prickly in her stomach and she needed a way to ease the discomfort and aggravation. A fast-paced and demanding romp between the sheets seemed like just the solution… even if they didn't truly make it to the bed. And perhaps, in the back of her mind, she wished to show the smug syren downstairs that he wasn't the only one that could gain pleasure from others. He wasn't the only one playing this game any longer.

A pleased, lucid smile showed teeth as the stranger proved her theory and illustrated his familiarity with the act. There was a pleasant buzz already building in her mind, washing away the painful thoughts she did not want to face. The ache in her groin was building as well with the falling away of reality, and she dug her fingers into his hair to encourage the drugging atmosphere. It was, she would admit, not quite as overwhelming as other times, but it would do. Sex with humans was so much safer.

Not seconds into the room, and she was already mostly out of her top, his hands grasping at her, his mouth tasting whatever skin was available. In a way she knew she was being manipulative, a low hum thrumming the back of her throat heightening his arousal, making his desire to have her nearly unbearable, but she was a syren. Such acts were not alien to them, and it had quickly squashed any of his romantic notions. Misao didn't care about being wooed. She wanted only an escape.

It was in such a precarious position, with her breasts fully exposed, her legs wrapped around his waist and her pleasure throbbing through her veins, that the door slammed abruptly open. The noise startled her ardent lover, jolting him against her as he braced her into the wall, his head swiveling to the door in sudden anger at the interruption. One look at their intruder, however, froze the words momentarily in his throat.

Whether it was the light illuminating him from the hallway, darkening his outline so that nothing but the shining depths of his cold, blue irises could be seen; or perhaps it was the slight hiss of warning that seemed to permeate the air, raising the small hairs on the back of his neck. Whatever it was, there was something ominous about the presence standing in the doorway of his room.

As the tall man took a step inward, the spell was abruptly broken and the blonde merchant's anger reignited. Lifting the small woman by the waist, he sat her down in one rough motion before rounding on the trespasser. "Just who the hell do you think you are? This is a private room and I should have you thrown in prison for barging in here uninvited. Can't you see we're busy?" It had been his intention to shoo the stranger back out, bar the door and then return to the vixen to finish his business, her magic still at work within his mind and blurring his reasoning powers. However, the man seemed unconcerned with him, as if his presence and what it meant mattered little.

Aoshi marched swiftly past the insignificant human and rounded on her, his hand once again fisting into the loose folds of her disheveled shirt and lifting her from the floor. An enraged grunt tore at her throat, and she glared daggers at the other syren.

"You would dare let this piece of scum touch you?" His voice was low, indignant, scolding her for her lack prudence. It was that same tone of chastisement she'd heard as a child when she'd done something wrong. Such a thing from him was more infuriating than his disinterest.

"I'll let whoever I wish touch me, _dominus_. And what right do you have to scold me anyway?"

"I thought I already made my intentions clear, amor. I do not plan on backing down."

"But it's fine for you to sleep with whomever you please?" Feet kicking, she struggled in his hold, her nails clawing at the one handed grip he had on her gaping shirt. "I've told you my decision, carus. I could never feel love for you." His hold finally loosened, and she dropped smoothly to her feet. The man she'd sought to sleep with, seeing an opening, stepped up beside them and shoved a hand into Aoshi's chest.

"It seems you have been denied by the lady once already." A snobbish sniff pulled at his nostrils and he proceeded to try and push him towards the door. "You would do well to learn how to handle a refusal more gracefully. You only make a fool of yourself with such pitiable actions."

A soft ring filled the dark room, a flash of moonlight splashing across bright metal, and the merchant stopped with a sharp gasp at the short sword pressed into his throat. "Then enlighten me, ferox corruptus, in what way should I handle the loss of the woman I have come to love more than my own life?" The man stepped back, tripping in his haste to be away from the sudden appearance of the beast before him. Biting blue eyes neared black, looking for all the world as if the reaper himself had come to claim him, and he followed his retreat like a predator stalking his prey. "Should I turn a blind eye to this _scelus_, this sin, as she defiles herself with a nameless creature of savagery?" The wall came up fast behind him, and he began to panic as the blade once more appeared at his throat in an increasingly desperate threat to sever his head. "Do you think I should leave so very quietly while you stay and touch what you have no right to touch? She belongs to me."

"I belong to no one!" Misao raged indignantly, her voice snapping through the air with a shock of power.

Aoshi's attention shifted, to the relief of the merchant, and stared down the petite woman in challenge. "No one but me."

"Do you truly think after everything you did that we would ever be together again?" Slim arms crossed over her chest, closing the v-ed opening of her shirt. "I loved the man that looked at me and only me, before I found out about the string of affairs he'd left behind. My eyes have been disillusioned, dominus. They will no longer look at you in adoration." The emotions within her deflated, her being sickened by the turn of events. No longer in the mood for companionship, she ducked her head and made to retreat out the door.

It seemed almost fateful for his hand to detain her, and she huffed petulantly, jerking on her arm in a futile attempt to be free. "You never gave me one chance to right the wrong done to you. It is unfair to speak with such conviction."

"Do not speak to me about what is fair and unfair." The slam of the door momentarily distracted her and she realized quickly that the man had left. With the loosened hold on the sword at his neck, he had taken advantage of a diversion and fled. For a moment, Misao worried for the consequences.

"It has been over thirty years."

"And the images still haunt me!" A brief curl of his brows questioned, replaced by mounting surprise as she explained. "Every night that I dream I see you, looking at them, whispering sweet words I had thought meant for me. Every night I am reminded, watching with no choice of looking away. I saw you, Lord Aoshi. How do you think I knew which women to kill?"

"Do you not think I am haunted by images as well?" Slackly the arm holding his sword dropped, his other lifting to touch her face. "You… dulcis, insons, aureus…"

"That girl is no more. The woman before you is aware of the world, and needs no one to protect her."

Abruptly the hand touching her fisted, his voice hardening, rising in volume. "Would you give that pain back to me, then? Would you torment me so?"

"You torment yourself! I do not want or need you here!"

"But I need to be here!" Rough fingers were back, curving around the base of her skull to yank her closer. "Every moment you were absent from my sight felt like daggers in my skin! My need for you has been made painfully obvious, more so after you left! We will not be separated again!"

"More so? Do you wish me to believe you needed me before?"

In the dark of the room it was hard to see detail, but now and for the last few minutes, Aoshi seemed to be trembling. At first a reaction she thought to his rage, a new horrific insight began to fester in her mind. The scent of his magic was beginning to change, warping within his soul and seething from his pores. It was a scent not unlike the one she'd caught from Katsu. A scent that carried the metallic tang of blood.

"Then, now…aeternus…"

He was falling more and more into speaking the old language, a bad omen that sent cold chills down her spine.

"Te solus cupio." Suddenly flattened against him, the sword still clutched in his fingers brushing her back, his nose buried itself in her hair. "You will not be taken from me… never again."

"Again?" Cautious, halfway fearful, Misao let her tone fall until it was a mere whisper. "But… I left, before."

"And yet it was your own grandfather that ordered me away from you." The air around her was unexpectedly hard to breathe, the rage projected into his words nearly tangible. "He did not know we were lovers… but he understood our mutual affection. He didn't want you to become attached. He wanted you to be free, to stay free and innocent. You were only sixteen, still a child, and he wanted nothing to chain you. It was my own fault for letting him… _my _fault for thinking he may have been right."

"Dominus…" Misao leaned back, her eyes slowly tracing his form upwards. Part of her was angry, part of her confused… but a more primitive part shivered in fright; afraid of what she might find.

"You were mine and only mine. I should not have given you up simply because he wished it. What right did he have to take you away?" Dark aquamarine irises finally met his, her features dropping into disbelief. "What right did anyone have?"

"Aoshi…?"

"I may have let myself drown in those other women, but every moment I looked at them I saw only you. That I could no longer have you… the torment was nearly unbearable."

At first look the blue of his eyes had not changed, but there would be no relief as Misao stared; knowing with a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach why the whites of his eyes appeared to be black. No trail of blood yet marred his pale skin, but it was slowly diffusing into the grain of his iris, seeping into the core of his being. He had been denied her once… he would not be denied again.

"No, please… don't do this." Instead of anger, instead of disgust at such a pathetic show of weakness, Misao felt only desperation. "Not for me."

"Only for you." Her back hit the wall, his larger frame caging her, blocking her escape. "Only for you would I do what has been done. You, my sweet little mistress, think your soul now stained, tainted beyond repair because of those lives you took. I have _bathed_ in blood for you, the least of which was your grandfather's."

Tight lungs heaved, her hands curling into his shirt. "Grandfather? You killed…?"

"His blood is on my hands, domina, for you…"

The tense muscles in her back loosened enough to shake, the rage that had diminished returning with vengeful power. Baring teeth in primal fury, Misao hissed a demanding challenge. "You bastard!" A harsh shriek ripped from her throat, her small figure bounding into his chest to knock him backwards. "How dare you come to me like this! How dare you!"

Strong legs took the brunt of her weight, the sword in his hand dropping to the floor as he caught her. At the same time glass from the window sprayed inward, the heat of burning flame and magic fueled fire swamping over them.

x

Wonderful aromas of all different kinds filled Kaoru's nostrils as she followed the quick shadow of her little brother. He had led her into another part of the castle she had never been near, and it amazed and confused her all at once. However, she was getting used to the way her mother thought, and it should not have been a surprise that the servant areas were not readily accessible, or visible, to the nobility of the house. And so the hidden pathway leading to the kitchen floor was cleverly concealed behind a grand tapestry and a few other trick doors.

Glancing to and fro, her stomach rumbling in happy delight as they passed pots of stew and roasts, a rotisserie slowly turning a large pig, and a pastry room overflowing with sweets and pies, she nearly pouted as she was drug away. Instead she was pulled into a side room, basins of water and piles of dirty dishes suggesting it to be a washing space. It was here that Yahiko stopped her, his hand holding up in a request to stay where she was.

There was only one young girl standing before one of the sinks, a stool on the floor under her feet to give her enough height to reach over the lip. The sleeves of her plain dress were rolled up passed her elbows, a thick apron tied around her waist and neck, and a white rag covered her hair, keeping any stray strands out of her face while she worked. She was humming softly under her breath, a happy little tune as her foot tapped along, and she seemed to be completely absorbed in her chore when Yahiko snuck up behind her.

Kaoru half expected the boy to pull her hair, or tug on her apron strings as any young kid would to grab the attention of the opposite sex. The thought did not seem to cross his mind, though, as he tiptoed his way to her side, one slight hand tentatively touching her shoulder. Afterwards Kaoru guessed he had good reason not to be so brash as the young girl jumped with a muffled yelp and nearly fell off her precarious perch.

Yahiko steadied her quickly, his dark eyes apologetic, and when soft tan eyes finally landed on him with recognition, a quiet grin tugged on a face that was at once eager and shy.

"Master Yahiko… you shouldn't sneak up on me like that." Features that were usually stubborn softened into contriteness. "Not that I mind you being here." A bright flush lit soft, pale cheeks, still partly rounded with childhood. "It's just… I got in trouble last time, and…" Her sweet voice trailed off as she noticed Kaoru standing in the doorway, a look of immediate horror rounding her lips as she realized just who she was.

"Uh, hello." Stepping forward quickly, hoping to quiet the look of terror now present in her timid eyes, Kaoru bowed her head respectfully. A gesture that took the gentle servant girl by surprise. "I'm Kaoru, Yahiko's my little brother." A furtive look between the two suggested a confusion over the announcement, however Kaoru did not catch onto the meaning. "It's lovely to meet you."

Momentarily dumbstruck, the girl stood for long moments and stared, before she suddenly remembered her manners and jumped down from the stool. Executing a clumsy curtsy, she stumbled over her own tongue. "The pleasure is mine, mistress. You do me a great honor by coming down to such a common place." Another cautious glance upwards, and she bit her lip. "I-I don't think your lady mother would be too happy about you visiting here…"

Kaoru's smile turned wider, and she winked at Yahiko still standing next to the girl. "Mother doesn't have to know. Besides, what I do with my personal time is no one else's business, right, little brother?"

Yahiko tentatively took the girl's hand in his, nodding his head slightly when she shot him another questioning glance. Subtly, she relaxed. "I didn't mean to be rude, Mistress Kaoru."

"Don't worry, and please, just Kaoru is fine." A light blush darkened her young features, and Kaoru's smile turned warm. "You didn't tell me your name."

"Oh!" Thoroughly mortified that she was being further rude, she ducked another curtsy. "Tsubame, if it please you mistress."

Kaoru laughed, and stepped forward to plop a hand on her covered head. "It pleases me just fine."

Light brown irises followed the twinkle of gold on her finger, and hesitantly reached for the pretty sparkle. "Is that your wedding ring?" A touch of sadness pulled at Kaoru's heart, but she readily let the girl inspect it. "It's very beautiful."

"Do you think so? It's just a plain gold band, but in a way I think it more precious than a cluster of diamonds."

"Because it was given to you by someone special, right?" Tsubame's soft voice was gaining a note of confidence in her enthusiasm. "I was given these by someone special." Almost eager to share, she lifted the hem of her skirt and stuck out a leg, a light rustle of sound shimmering by her foot. Looking down curiously, Kaoru found herself staring at a rather delicate chain twisted around her ankle, almost completely loaded down with more charms than it should have rightly held.

From whales to arching dolphins; starfish and seahorses; every creature that had ever shown itself through that one window in the observatory, carved into stone and gifted to her. Blue irises lifted to her brother, his own black eyes looking at the girl. Again, for that moment, he seemed much older than his stature suggested, his gaze showing affection, joy, amusement, and even a touch of longing for this young adolescent girl. And she suddenly understood what he had meant by his gesture earlier. One hand spreading over his heart, telling her exactly where the rest of his small gems were. They were with her… his heart.

"They are very beautiful, Tsubame." Suddenly, there were tears pulling at her eyes, her lips jerking downward. "I am very happy… that you have someone so very special." One small tear dribbled from her lashes, and she squeezed them shut on a smile. "Just as I do." Smoothing the rag covering her hair again, she half-turned away. "Would you excuse me? I must be a little tired. Perhaps I can visit again another time?" Without waiting for a reply, Kaoru walked quietly out the door.

Dismayed, Tsubame turned to Yahiko, mouth opening then closing as he shook his head. Sighing, the girl dropped her skirt and stepped quickly forward to wrap him in a furtive hug. Lips at his ear, she whispered the information he had asked for, and pulled away to jump back up on her stool.

"You should be quick, Master Yahiko. I'm afraid his visits are never long."

Yahiko nodded, started to move away, before stopping, his hand opening as he remembered the newest charm he had made for her. Kneeling at her feet and carefully moving her skirt, he reached in a pocket for his pliers and fastened the small sea turtle to her anklet. She watched, tan eyes suddenly more faerie-like than before, and smiled as he stood. Bracing a hand on his shoulder, she leaned in to kiss his cheek.

"Thank you. Now hurry. I think her husband's life is in danger."

x

**Latin Glossary**

**dominus/domina -** lord/mistress

**amor -** love

**carus - **dear

**ferox corruptus - **corrupted savage

**dulcis, insons, aureus - **sweet, innocent, golden

**aeternus - **eternal

**Te solus cupio. - **I desire only you.

A/N: I think after awhile I was having just a little bit too much fun with the Latin and the scene between Aoshi and Misao. So I had to cut it back a bit. Even still, I feel like there might be too much translating going on for you guys, and I only hope you don't hate me for it. One or two are pretty well given because of content, but when I started putting more than one word together… well, it starts to get a little heavy. So I'm hoping you all did ok, and as a side note, I kind of think of that scene finally just deteriorating into complete Latin (or Syren language).

Anyway, sorry that it took me so damn long. Thanks for all the encouragement, especially to those I have named at the beginning. It's easy to get discouraged… or distracted… and then hard to get back into it. I always have this problem of writing a good ten pages or so, and then getting stuck, leaving it alone and then trying to pick it up later. Usually I just end up rereading those ten pages and then hoping it will finish itself on its own. How funny.

Well, I'm trying to develop Yahiko's character a little more. He's my favorite in this story, which is strange, because I've always had a hard time trying to incorporate him into any of my other stories. Unfortunately, he isn't the typical Yahiko character, so I kind of feel like I've overhauled him completely. I hope you guys will forgive me for that. But I have to look at him in a different light, and so if you've ever read the after story in the manga that's about Yahiko when he's fifteen… I think he's a little bit more like that. That's going to be my cover anyway.

So Misao and Aoshi are getting a little bit more strained, and I have to admit that I'm getting a kick out of flipping so much stuff around in this story. Aka… having Aoshi chase after Misao instead of the other way around. What fun. And if anyone didn't catch on, he's not taking her denial very well… in fact things might be getting a little bit scary for the party soon. Not to mention Yumi seems to be up to some tricks of her own… and magical fire? What's this? -evil laugh- Can't wait for the next chapter, and I hope this one was satisfying… even just a little.

Thanks for reading, and please leave a review.


End file.
